{"id":289863,"date":"2023-04-26T04:05:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-26T04:05:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=289863"},"modified":"2023-04-26T10:00:15","modified_gmt":"2023-04-26T10:00:15","slug":"families-come-to-aid-of-cash-strapped-rugby-team","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=289863","title":{"rendered":"Families come to aid of cash-strapped rugby team"},"content":{"rendered":"

Fijian rugby's governing body<\/a> has responded after its Super W<\/a>-winning team had to rely on food from Brisbane families in the week leading up to their round five contest.<\/p>\n

The revelation comes after the FRU (Fijian Rugby Union) detailed financial "challenges" in the wake of a damning social media post emerging.<\/p>\n

In it, a woman from Brisbane called for help to feed Fijian Drua players who had apparently been refused service at a restaurant.<\/p>\n

Watch the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific and Super W seasons on the home of rugby, Stan Sport.<\/strong><\/em> All matches streaming ad free, live and on demand<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

"Last night my family fed the Fijian Drua women's rugby team as the restaurant they normally have their meals had shut the door on them as FRU weren't paying," she wrote.<\/p>\n

"We had plans to feed them on Thur which was very lucky as the girls wouldn't have their dinner.<\/p>\n

"We are feeding them again for dinner today and tomorrow and Sunday breakfast.<\/p>\n

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"Sunday after the game they are coming to Annerley for late lunch….and ready to travel to Fiji on midnight flight. Any help of food or donation would go straight to their meals."<\/p>\n

Rugby Australia reportedly paid a catering bill at a Brisbane accommodation on behalf of the Drua women.<\/p>\n

\"Sulita<\/p>\n

FRU acting CEO Sale Sorovaki said the Australian Government's department of foreign affairs (DFAT) and Rugby Australia had brought the matter to his attention.<\/p>\n

He thanked the local rugby community and Rugby Australia for its support, noting the financial hardship the governing body had suffered.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"We would like to make it clear that all contracted players have been paid up until now," said Sorovaki.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/StanSportRugby\/status\/1650711256121110531<\/a><\/p>\n

"I admit that we have had some challenges regarding our financial processes which had a direct effect on the Fijiana Drua.<\/p>\n

"These have been highlighted to us by DFAT through Rugby Australia which monitors this financial assistance, and FRU is trying its utmost to improve on it.<\/p>\n

"We are grateful to the Australian Government through the Vuvale Partnership which allows our Fijiana Drua Womens Team to participate in the Super W Competition.<\/p>\n

"To the Fijian families that have assisted the Fijiana Drua with meals and other support, FRU is eternally grateful to you for using your own hard-earned resources to help in the time of need towards our ladies and management.<\/p>\n

"We may not be able to repay you, however, we are deeply grateful for your kind gesture and support to our fellow Fijians at a time when they needed it the most. We pray that God's blessings and provisions be upon each family who helped.<\/p>\n

"Moving forward, Fiji Rugby and Rugby Australia will continue to work hand in hand in ensuring that this issue is not repeated.<\/p>\n

"As with World Rugby Commitment to "Player Welfare," we will ensure that our players' welfare remains paramount in all that we do."<\/p>\n

https:\/\/twitter.com\/StanSportRugby\/status\/1651024486425149446<\/a><\/p>\n

It comes amid a report out of Fiji on Monday that the FRU was set to suffer a $900,000 loss for 2022.<\/p>\n

The Sydney Morning Herald<\/a> also revealed a training centre that the Drua men trained at are owed a six-figure sum to a New South Wales Government-owned sports and recreation centre at Lennox Head for accommodation.<\/p>\n

The men's team is separate to the women's team and part-owned by the Fiji Government and the FRU.<\/p>\n

The Herald reports a payment plan has been settled upon between the respective parties.<\/p>\n

However, the losses have led FRU member Suva Rugby Union to file a vote of no confidence against four of the governing body's five directors.<\/p>\n

The Fijiana Drua are set to play in a Super W semi-final on Sunday against the NSW Waratahs at Concord Oval.<\/p>\n

For a daily dose of the best of the breaking news and exclusive content from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by<\/strong><\/em> clicking here<\/strong><\/em><\/a>!\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fijian rugby's governing body has responded after its Super W-winning team had to rely on food from Brisbane families in the week leading up to […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":289865,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289863"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=289863"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289863\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":289868,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/289863\/revisions\/289868"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/289865"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=289863"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=289863"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=289863"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}