7s stars Kunavula, Naduva stay back
Former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark has strongly supported the Fiji Rugby Union 7s bid to host a leg in the World Rugby Sevens Series. She is in the country for the 2018 Commonwealth Education Ministers meeting and has joined rugby greats like Waisale Serevi, DJ Forbes and Sir Michael Jones who have thrown their support behind the 7s bid.
“Firstly Fiji of course is very good at the sevens. It’s one of the stars of the sevens tournaments so on that basis a great sevens country of course has a case,” Clark said. “The next thing would be to look at the infrastructure needs. How much is required? “You’ve got the stadium. Certainly you got the visitors facilities, have the hotels, tours and base. What partnership will be needed to put the host responsibility together so those entire packages need to be in place and then it can become realistic?” Clark admitted loving rugby more when she became the head of the NZ Government.
“Being a NZ Prime Minister of course you take interest in rugby because New Zealand sports people are known best on the rugby fields. But we also have great netballers, yachtsmen, runners and people doing all kinds of sports,” she said.
“But the All Blacks achieved an iconic status which makes them recognisable a NZ brand which people are proud of.” Clark had been away in New York for eight yearsas head of the united nations development programme but managed to watch the 2015 Rugby World Cup in Eden Park, when the ABswon.
“I am at home and who knows I might see more,” she said.