Swire Shipping Fijian Drua interim Chief Executive Officer, Brian Thorburn yesterday assured that the 37-member squad is being well looked after.

This followed taxation concerns with the Fijian Drua squad now in camp at Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre, Lennox Head, New South Wales, Australia for their inaugural 2022 Super Rugby Pacific outing set for February 19.

“Let me set this straight – we had engaged the Fiji Revenue and Customs Services before the players left Fiji and also on their arrival we had engaged the Australian Taxation Office to enlighten us on the taxation issue,” Thorburn said from Sydney yesterday.”

“It is a technical issue, the players and management have been enlightened and they understood, everything else about their contract and package is confidential,” he said.

“Players and management have been assured that should there be any tax issue we are going to engage a tax agent to assist them.”

“As for the duration of engagement some players have signed a 12-month contract, some have signed up for two years while some longer than that.”

“We have engaged them from November this year up to June next year as that is when the Super Rugby is supposed to round up.”

“Then we retain them as some will be absorbed into the local Skipper Cup competition while some return to the NPC (National Provincial Championship) in New Zealand.”

“Then they are all expected to reassemble in October next year for the new Super Rugby year.”

Thorburn has assured that the former Flying Fijians tight head prop, Manasa Saulo, has joined camp.

He said the Fijian Drua coaches were looking in areas of concern during training; they have indicated the need to recruit another three players to round up the squad number to 40.

“We are going to name another three before Christmas and I can confirm that they are going to be all Fiji connected making Baden (Kerr) the only non-Fiji eligible player,” he said.

Fiji Rugby Union CEO John O’Connor said: “I am sure that the Fijian Drua management will address any issues if there are any; I want to stress that this is the first time we are venturing into such an arrangement and the importance of this opportunity must be taken in context.”

Feedback: karalaini.waqanidrola@fijisun.com.fj