Fiji rugby shops abroad for sponsor August 28, 2008
The Fiji Rugby Union has gone shopping abroad for sponsors to fund the ‘Flying Fijians’ forthcoming calendar.
FRU chief executive officer Ratu Timoci Tavanavanua told Fijilive they sought overseas assistance after months of unsuccessful campaigns for a local sponsor.
The FRU is looking for a sponsor to fund the operations of the Fiji 15s team.
Ratu Timoci earlier said FRU was looking for a maximum of $3 million to meet the Fiji team’s costs.
“With regards to the sponsorship for the Flying Fijians national team we are speaking to several companies abroad who have agreed to broker sponsorship opportunities for us,” he added.
Flour Mills of Fiji was the last sponsor of the Fiji team prior to the 2007 Rugby World Cup in France.
It is not clear which overseas companies have shown interest in the Fiji team.
The ‘Flying Fijians’ are still without a sponsor months after reaching the quarterfinals of the last RWC.
Meanwhile, the FRU has came out of its closet saying Waisale Serevi will know his fate as the Fiji 7s coach as soon as he returns from England at the weekend.
The FRU is adamant of restricting the best 7s player of all time to the coaching position against his wishes for a swansong in the sport that he has almost singlehandedly popularised.
“The board met last night and decided that it will now wait for Serevi to return from UK and meet with him to discuss the some of the issues he has raised,” Ratu Timoci added.
“As soon as this is finalised the position of the manager will be confirmed.”
Alifereti Malo and Maretino Nemani are believed to be short listed for the Fiji 7s team manager’s position.