77 Teams, 3100 Girls For Weet-Bix Raluve Comp
A record of 3100 girls will participate in the inaugural Weet-bix Raluve competition which was launched at the Fiji Rugby Union headquarters in Suva yesterday.
It will run in parallel with the Vodafone Deans Trophy competition at the different zones.
Fiji Secondary Schools Rugby Association acting president, Savenaca Muamua said the inclusion of girls in the competition was a milestone achievement.
It would have not been possible through the sponsorship of CJ Patel Group product, Weet-bix and Fiji Rugby Union.
“In the first year we managed to get 77 teams on board to compete for the Raluve trophy,” he said.
“FSSRA have been trying to get to this number since 1939.
“It is a big boost, probably because of the initiative from the Fijiana women’s team in the Super W and also at the Olympics. The kids have seen this as a great opportunity door way for a career pathway.”
The competition will be throughout the country four zones; Eastern, Southern, Western and Northern.
He added that the registration is not limited to 40 as it was in the past years and is open to every student.
Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor said: “In our planning, we knew that we needed a pathway for women’s rugby in Fiji. Girls participating in the Get into Rugby (GiR) Plus programmes who came to secondary schools and there was no pathway for them, so we created a women’s competition with the support of Fiji Secondary Schools Executives.”
He added that plans for an Under-18 national women’s team to participate in overseas tours and tournaments as done in the past with the Under-18 school boys is still in the pipeline.
Sponsorship
CJ Patel Group has been sponsors of FRU since 2014, starting off with Skipper Cup competitions.
They were also sponsors of the Super Sevens series, Royal Tea Ranadi competition, Inkk Farebrother and now Weetbix Raluve for secondary school girls.
CJP group marketing manager, Ashwin Prasad said it was about time to put into perspective their slogan “Weet-bix kids are Fiji kids” and support secondary school women’s rugby.
“Our motto has always been about sponsoring grassroots rugby.
“We started with Skipper Cup eight years ago and now it has come to the girls in secondary schools.
“We are now starting the journey from a young age and that is why we are putting our effort and support to Fiji rugby, more importantly on how women are performing in the international arena right now.”
Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj
