Swire Shipping Fijian Drua chief executive Mark Evans has unveiled a unique approach to player contracts to align national and Drua commitments.
Under this innovative system, most squad members will sign a joint contract with the Drua and Fiji Rugby Union, entailing a comprehensive commitment to both national and Super Rugby duties.
This dual contract structure will be for a year, providing players with an extended opportunity to contribute significantly to both aspects of Fijian rugby.
This was clarified to this newspaper by Evans yesterday.
“Most of the squad will be on a joint contract between the Drua and the Fiji Rugby Union because they will have a national contract and the Drua contract, so they will be on a year contract,” Evans said.
However, recognising the diverse nature of the squad, a few exceptions will exist.
Overseas players may not secure a spot on the national team and, therefore, will solely be under the Drua contract.
Additionally, a select group will undergo a shorter-term commitment, spanning 13 or 14 weeks, exclusively tied to the Drua program.
“There will be few who don’t make the national team because some players come from outside the country and there are few who will just be on a Drua contract on the 13 or 14 weeks of the Drua program,” Evans explained.
In a pivotal move to elevate Fijian women’s rugby on the global stage, a groundbreaking partnership has been forged between the FRU and the Fijian Drua.
The visionary alliance, fuelled by a commitment to competitiveness in both men’s and women’s rugby, signals a transformative era for the sport.
Evans, a key architect of this strategic collaboration, expressed optimism, highlighting the rapidly changing landscape of women’s rugby worldwide.
Recognising the necessity for Fiji to stay competitive, the partnership seeks to address this demand by providing increased resources.
“I think in the long run, it can only be a benefit. Women’s rugby globally is changing very quickly.
And if Fiji wants to be competitive, then that requires an increased level of resourcing.
“(It) requires players and staff to be able to devote a bigger proportion of their time to the sport.
So, I think the arrangement we’ve come with the FRU is a good one.
It gives much more stability to the whole operation,” Evans added.
“A lot of lessons learned so we can hopefully apply them to the women’s situation.
Gives them better facilities, more full-time staff,” he added.
