MARIST Rugby Club will write to World Rugby and Oceania Rugby to have their representatives at the 41st Fiji Bitter Marist 7s in Suva next year.

This was announced by club chairman Lawrence Tikaram during the launch of the 2017 tournament at Paradise Beverages (Fiji) Ltd headquarters in Suva yesterday.

The launch also revealed the increase of sponsorship to $41,000 making it Fiji’s biggest annual 7s rugby tournament.

The 64 men’s teams anticipating to be part of the tournament need to pay $600 as registration fees by March 5.

“I will invite World Rugby and Oceania Rugby to be part of the tournament and to see how we run it,” Tikaram said.

He said this would allow the building of bridges to allow Fiji to one day host a tournament in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.

Paradise Beverages sales/marketing manager Joe Rodan Sr said over the years, the tournament had uncovered some of Fiji’s best 7s players and contributed to Fiji winning the gold medal in the Rio Olympics.

“We will be giving $41,000 of prizemoney, but that doesn’t include kind benefits which should see a total sponsorship of $55,000,” Rodan said.

He said after winning the Olympics gold medal in Rio, Fiji had now become the target of every national team and they hoped that the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s would be able to take Fijian ruggers to a level better than that in Rio.

The Fiji Bitter Marist 7s tournament is scheduled for March 24 and 25 where 64 men’s teams, eight women’s and six classic teams are expected to be part of the tournament.

The women’s and the classic teams will need to pay $400 for registration.