$500K Boost for Bati
Building up to this year’s Rugby League World Cup, Fiji Bati secured a $500,000 sponsorship for its preparation and participation in England from October 15 to November 19.
Speaking during the cheque presentation ceremony, Fiji National Rugby League chairman Rear Admiral (Ret’d) Viliame Naupoto said this was an important gesture that would boost their preparations.
“We actually set a budget pre-COVID of 1.6million within the adjustment made post-COVID we’ve been able to get in as much that can get us to the RLWC,” he said.
“We are thankful that chunk of that has come from the Fijian government.
“The money will help us finish off our preparations for the test match against PNG on the 25th of this month in Australia and the world cup in England.
“Basically this is a huge help to the Fiji Bati team as we prepare for a podium finish at the RLWC.
“It’s an interesting World Cup, our first game is against reigning champions Australia but I think
“It’s an interesting World Cup, our first game is against reigning champions Australia but I think that’s good for us. Viliame Naupoto Fiji National Rugby League chairman
that’s good for us.”
Fiji Sports Commission executive chairman Peter Mazey said that Government has been assisting FNRL.
“It was very impressive to sit there and watch the head coach announce his 50 men’s squad for the RLWC,” Mazey said.
“Now they have a testmatch in Australia. Rugb league is an interesting sport because they are actually high in the rankings than Fiji rugby.
“We’ve always been proud of how they perform in world cup level and I think we should consider that majority of our athletes whoearn a living in sports overseas are in rugby league.