Drua emerges as major economic player

The Fijian Drua is more than a rugby franchise club.

This was the gist of Drua chief executive officer Jeff Miller’s address during the McDonald’s Fijian Drua’s Presentation Night at the Sofitel Fiji Resort and Spa on Tuesday.

Miller said a Tourism Fiji study in 2023 estimated that Drua home matches generated approximately $67 million in economic activity for Fiji.

“At the time, many people were surprised by the scale of that impact,” the legendary Australian Wallabies backrow and 1991 Rugby World Cup winner said.

Miller compared the study to the latest ANZ research, which indicates that the impact has grown even further.

According to ANZ, the Drua contributed approximately $108m to Fiji’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) during the 2025 season.

“That is growth of more than $40m in just two years. A 61 per cent increase,” Miller indicated.

The research found:

• That around 21 per cent of ticket purchasers travelled specifically to attend a Drua match;
• That every dollar spent on the match-day experience generated a further $2.31 across the broader economy;
• Those benefits flow through hotels, airlines, restaurants, transport providers, retailers, tourism operators, broadcasters and countless businesses across Fiji.

“What these numbers demonstrate is simple,” Miller said.

“The Drua is no longer just a rugby club. It is a national asset. It is an economic contributor. It is a source of opportunity and it is changing lives across Fiji.”

He acknowledged the support of Drua partners like Swire Shipping, McDonald’s Fiji, Shop N Save Supermarket, Australia’s Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Fiji Airways and the list goes on.

Miller said the club was not satisfied with where they finished off this year. The Drua failed to make the Super Rugby Pacific play-offs for the second year-in-a-row.

“When I first stood before this organisation as CEO, I spoke about our purpose. Three simple but powerful ambitions. To win Super Rugby titles; to inspire a nation and to change lives for the better.

“Everything we should do be measured against those three goals. The reality is that we are still pursing the first one. We have not yet won a Super Rugby Pacific title. That remains our ambition, our expectation and that remains unfinished business,” Miller said.

He reminded the players returning next season that it was time to take the next step and raise the standard.

“You owe it to yourself. You owe it to your family, your team-mates and to Fiji,” Miller added.

The 63-year-old said, at the same time, we recognise the realities facing professional sports across the region, where organisations are confronting financial and operation challenges.

“We are not immune to the challenges facing businesses and the difficult decision facing governments and stakeholders.”

Miller said Fiji waited more than 25 years for its own professional rugby club.

“The responsibility now belongs to all of us to ensure that what has been built continues to grow and remain sustainable for future generations. That requires support, discipline, innovation, hard work but more importantly unity.”