New deal to empower youths

The Tailevu Rugby Football Union (TRFU) has secured a new partnership deal with Jacks of Fiji yesterday. This is a move the TRFU believes will strengthen grassroots rugby de­velopment and boost commercial growth.

TRFU president Joseph Rodan Snr said, "this partnership re­flects shared values between the two organisations, particularly their commitment to community development and youth empow­erment."

Rodan said: "Tailevu Rugby places strong emphasis on grass­roots rugby; player welfare, and long-term development both on and off the field."

He added that TRFU has pro­duced around 67 players current­ly playing overseas, as they have progressed through the clubs.

Rodan said the TRFU's strong digital presence and active en­gagement on social media has helped grow supporter interest, particularly during last year's Skipper Cup competition. He noted the TRFU had used the social media strategically to provide value and visibility to spon­sors.

The TRFU has set clear perfor­mance targets for the 2026 sea­son, which include winning the Skipper Cup and the Farebrother Trophy.

"The team is made up of young village-based players aged be­tween 18 and 23, allowing greater flexibility for training and devel­opment."

He also highlighted the strong support of the vanua, noting that TRFU consists of more than 35 village-based teams.

"Over the past year, union of­ficials visited villages to present a five-year strategic plan focused on sustainability and account­ability," he said.

Rodan said the partnership with Jacks of Fiji comes at an impor­tant time as they continue to operate with transparency and professionalism. He expressed confidence that the collaboration would be mutually beneficial and contribute positively to rugby de­velopment in the province.

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