The Fiji Rugby Union continues to make positive and exciting developments in growing our No.1 game.

Tagged as a World Rugby tier two nation, we contributed to the growth of the global game in a big way punching above our weight with the limited resources we have.

But we can’t allow ourselves to be classified as such forever.

We matched and at times beat the superpowers of the game and it is only timely that we adjust and try to keep up with the pace in which World Rugby wants to grow the modern game.

This calls for astute planning, making smart and bold decisions and changing with the times if we are to survive in the competitive rugby world.

First and foremost, sporting organisations, like FRU, need to have a secure and stable financial setup to survive.

Otherwise we will continue to rely on donors, sponsors, and gate-takings for survival.

Yesterday during the special general meeting, delegates agreed to converting FRU from a charitable trust into a charitable company limited.

This means the FRU will now operate as a sporting and business organisation and will be allowed to make investments and make profits from it.

Awaiting registration and legal detail, the move received overwhelming support from delegates who have been thoroughly briefed on developments during workshops held in the central, western and northern divisions.

For so long, there have been talks of renovating Rugby House at 35 Gordon St, Suva into a 10-storey building and rent it out.

It is in a prime location in the central business district and will be ideal for apartments, a gym, offices and so on.

And with the planned change, FRU is already making a move.

It has already advertised calling for tenders in the construction of the major capital projects with ‘project engineering management consultant’ tasked with the FRU Headquarter building project and FRU Stadium which World Rugby wants to be situated between Sigatoka and Nadi.

These are big business ventures which will support revenue growth and is a major breakthrough for the FRU.

Early in the past week, FRU signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Rugby Football Association to help develop the 7s and 15s programmes with exchanges for coaches, technical staff, teams and players.

Sealed by FRU chairperson Francis Kean, the agreement was another important achievement in the reform agenda of the FRU.

He said: “For too long, we have regarded ourselves among the minnows of the rugby world when our recent on-the-field performance in both the sevens and 15s illustrate that we are a superpower in rugby, especially in 7s.”

Rugby is now a marketable commodity and our players playing all over the world who are sending remittances back home contribute to our national economy. It will only get better and the future looks brighter with the direction FRU is heading.

Feedback:  oseab@fijisun.com.fj