FIJI AIRWAYS BACKS DRUA
National airline Fiji Airways has become the naming rights sponsor of the Fijian Drua rugby team playing in the Australia’s National Rugby Championship (NRC).
This was confirmed yesterday by the Fiji Rugby Union saying that the team will now be known as the Fiji Airways Drua and will prominently feature the airline on the front and lower back of all playing kits.
The announcement comes just days before the first NRC match set for Saturday, September 2, and coincided with the official NRC launch in Sydney, where Serupepeli Vularika represented the Fiji Airways Drua with representatives of all other NRC teams.
Speaking of the sponsorship, FRU chief executive officer, John O’Connor said, “We’re thrilled to welcome Fiji Airways as the inaugural naming rights sponsor of the Fijian Drua. To have the support of such an iconic Fijian company and our national airline is a wonderful boost for our team, as we prepare for the first match in our first NRC season.”
O’Connor said that Fiji Airways and FRU have had a long and successful partnership with the airline regularly flying and looking after various Fijian rugby teams over many years.
“It’s exciting for Fiji Rugby to extend this partnership with Fiji Airways, especially with both our companies being flag bearers for our country on the global stage”
Fiji Airways managing director and CEO Andre Viljoen said: “We are thrilled to welcome the Fiji Airways Drua to our family and look forward to supporting them through the NRC campaign.
It’s wonderful to have a Fijian team playing against some of the best players in Australia, in front of thousands of fans both in-stadium and on television. Australia is the biggest market for Fiji Airways as well as Fijian tourism, and this exposure through the Fiji Airways Drua will complement our various promotional activities there. To commemorate our partnership as the Fiji Airways Drua literally takes flight, we will be offering Fijians an exciting discount to attend the team’s initial matches in Australia. Details of this will be announced in the next few days.”
The announcement comes days after FRU unveiled Paradise Beverages as a major sponsor of the team, with Fiji Gold and Ratu Rum to be featured on the sleeve and upper back of the jersey.
“To have two companies of the calibre of Fiji Airways and Paradise Beverages sponsoring our new NRC team is a significant vote of confidence in our team, and we look forward to watching them run out in their new jerseys against Brisbane City this Saturday” said O’Connor.
The 2017 NRC will be contested over nine rounds run for 11 weeks, with four games hosted in Fiji.
The Fiji Airways Drua will kick-off their season opener on Saturday against Brisbane City at Ballymore in Brisbane at 5pm. On September 9, they play against Melbourne Rising at the Harlequin Oval in Melbourne.
Fiji Airways Drua halfback Serupepeli Vularika (front) with Fijian dancers and captains of participating teams in the National Rugby Championship during the launch at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney, Australia on August 29, 2017 Photo: Zimbio
Fans of the Fiji Airways Drua will see their heroes in action in Round 3 and 4 in their first home fixture against NSW Country Eagles at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka on September 16 and then against Perth Spirit on September 23 at the ANZ Stadium in Suva.
Rounds 5 and 6 see the team travelling back to Australia for their match against the Canberra Vikings on September 29 at Viking Park in Canberra and Greater Sydney Rams on October 7 at TG Millner Oval, Sydney.
Round 7 the team will be on bye, but Round 8 and 9 see the Fiji Airways Drua hosting QLD Country at Churchill Park, Lautoka on October 21 and Sydney Rays at the ANZ Stadium in Suva on October 28.
Edited by Leone Cabenatabua
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