THE Nadroga Rugby Union will soon have its own rugby ground, if plans fall into place.
Sigatoka Rugby Club official Jonetani Namoko revealed this during the Nadroga Rugby Union’s AGM in Sigatoka early this month.
He said they were ready to offer the NRU a piece of their mataqali land for leasing after learning the union was seeking to build a new rugby ground, but had yet to find suitable landowners who were willing to offer their land for lease.
Lawaqa Park has been the home ground of the NRU for the past fifty years where many memorable rugby clashes had taken place when it was under the ownership of the Sigatoka Town Council.
Twenty years ago the Fiji Sports Council took over the ground and built a new stadium and made major changes and raised the charges for the usage of the facilities which became unbearable for the Nadroga Rugby Union to meet costs.
For the past two rugby seasons, Nadroga has shifted some of its HFC Bank Farebrother Challenge and Skipper Cup matches to Nadi’s Prince Charles Park .
Namoko told the meeting that since Nadroga was the undisputed champion of rugby in Fiji, it was only fitting that they had their own ground.
“My mataqali is offering a piece of land near the sand dunes for lease to the Nadroga Rugby Union where they could build a new rugby ground and call it their own,” said Namoko.
Representatives from other rugby clubs in Nadroga had also offered their land to the Nadroga Rugby Union.
Union president Tiko Matawalu said it was encouraging to see people of Nadroga who had rugby in their hearts offering their land for the benefit of rugby in the province.
“I would like to thank those who have come forward offering their land. This would be taken up to the Board for their discretion,” said Matawalu.
