I must congratulate all those involved with the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) and its setup of grassroots programmes.

The 2023 Rugby World Cup may have ended for us. People have lots of views on this. But believe me, it’s not the end.

It’s a new beginning. It’s a new era.

The seed of this present success was planted some 20 years ago.

Just imagine what the next 20 will bring. I wish that FRU owned an academy or two around the country like what International Federation of Association Football (FIFA) fully funded and gifted to Fiji Football Association (FFA).

I won’t know the benefits of these soccer academies, as the current results speak volumes. FRU pays a lot of money on camping, traveling, and other related costs.

I hope the Minister for Sports inks a deal with the FFA to sublease these useless academies to rugby.

I know FFA top brass will listen to the minister since he was the guest at the recent IDC, and he is hell-bent on soccer to improve in this country.

Actually, soccer is the only sport that has no vision and has not improved since it was founded in 1938.

I hope the minister will take this on board and get these academies under the FRU banner, as the potential for rugby is huge.

Soccer will never come close. And with the next RWC in Australia, I think the timing is right to get the lease agreement done. We will all wait for Mr Minister to show us the way to take rugby to the next level and beyond.

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