Former Flying Fijians winger backs Super Rugby move

FORMER Flying Fijians winger Mosese Luveitasau believes Fiji had been thrown a lifeline with the Fijian Drua’s inclusion into Super Rugby from next year.

“If we ever wanted a platform to keep our Flying Fijians together this is it,” Luveitasau said.

Luveitasau said he wished he had an opportunity like this when he was still playing for Fiji.

“Just imagine having a team of Fijians playing together in top rugby such as Super Rugby every week, and then straight into the international Test window.

“We are going to be dangerous.”

The former winger from the highlands of Naitasiri added the onus was now on the Fiji Rugby Union to find sponsors to make this a reality.

“It’s one thing to talk about them coming together, it’s another thing to get and keep them together especially with the salaries some of our top players are paid.

“I believe the FRU is working overtime on this and have no doubt we can make it happen.”

Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua were granted conditional licences to join a planned new professional competition next year, New Zealand Rugby announced last Wednesday.

The decision to approve licences is a major step toward the two Pasifika teams joining NZR’s existing five Super Rugby Aotearoa clubs and Rugby Australia’s (RA) five Super Rugby AU teams in a new tournament being planned for 2022 and is conditional on their final business plans and RA’s support.

NZR board member and former Manu Samoa and All Blacks legend Sir Michael Jones said the announcement was a significant milestone.

“We are now on the cusp of realising a long-held desire to include Pasifika in our professional game and the opportunity to embrace all that comes with that,” he said.

“With the approval of licences, Moana Pasifika and the Fijian Drua can now forge ahead with the final stages of their business plans and crucially start to lock in their playing and coaching rosters for next season. It’s an exciting time for rugby.”

Fiji Rugby Union chairman Conway Beg said: “This is a big moment for the Drua and will provide the impetus for us to finalise our equity partners, appoint coaches, contract players and confirm our commercial partners.

“We are on the home stretch and excitement is building across Fiji.”

The 37-member Fijian Drua squad is expected to be named in June.