Updated: 6:35am – The Fiji Rugby Union has announced today that the official tender process for a HSBC World Sevens Series leg has started as they seek the support of all Fijians to sign up for Fiji to host a World 7s leg by 2019 and 2020.
FRU General Manager Commercial Brian Thorburn says they will start a six-week campaign from today which features 7s legend Waisale Serevi and other Fiji rugby stars.
He adds that they will be going around the country to ask the people of Fiji to sign up for Fiji’s bid.
He says that the ‘Fiji for 7s task team’ has a very huge task to make the bid successful which also includes Greg Peters, the former SANZAR and Argentina Rugby Union CEO.
Thorburn adds that one of the main criteria in the bid document is the detailed commercial model which is very important to World Rugby because it will provide assurance of the sustainability of hosting a leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for the next 4 years.
He believes that Fiji is strong in the Rugby criteria but there is a lot of work that needs to be done as they need to tick the player welfare and related categories which means that we would need to look at detailed requirements for team services which include the hosting of so many teams and support staff and the hosting of so many spectators from Fiji and around the world.
He says that there is a need for them to prove to World Rugby that we can get the spectator numbers, how they can engage the tournament globally and how they can engage it with the main tournament series sponsors.
Meanwhile, the Fiji Rugby Union has offered a trip for two to the Hong Kong 7s which includes return flights, 4 nights accommodation and a three-day entry pass to the 7s tournament to those who sign up for the bid by going to the www.Fijifor7s.com website.
All those that have registered or will register their support will go into a draw for this valuable prize.
The FRU will lodge their tender by February 28th, with a decision from World Rugby to be expected by June 28th, 2018.
We call on all Fijians to visit the website and register their support for our country to host a World Rugby 7s series tournament by 2019.
-Fiji Village
