The  Fiji Airways sponsored Fijian 7s men and women’s teams will now be paid bonuses if they do well on the HSBC World Sevens Series.

This was confirmed yesterday by Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor.

“The FRU board at its meeting on March 13th had endorsed that bonus to be paid to our men and women’s 7s teams playing in the series,” he said.

O’Connor said the payment will be based on the following structure:

• Reaching the Cup semifinal- $10,000
• Silver medal- $15,000
• Gold medal-$25,000
• Winning the Series- $50,000

“As such, in the FRU awards nights held last Friday at the Sheraton, the president of FRU had handed over cheques totalled at $60,000 to captain Jerry Tuwai.”

O’Connor said it was for the following achievements;

• Gold medal at Hamilton – $25,000
• Cup semifinal in Las Vagas- $10,000
• Gold medal in Vancouver- $25,000

In addition, he says, Fiji Airways managing director/CEO Andre Viljoen in a surprise announcement revealed that the national airline was giving the players an additional $25,000 for their win in Vancouver.

“This is because the boys’ win contributed greatly to the promotion of Fiji Airways flights to Vancouver,” O’Connor said.

“The board strongly believes in rewarding performance and the new bonus structure is to provide an incentive to the players to do well every time they go out and represent Fiji. It’s now up to the players to go out and perform.”

The Fijian 7s team are now preparing for the Hong Kong Sevens tournament to be staged early next moth.

– Edited: Leone Cabenatabua.

Feedback:  leonec@fijisun.com.fj