FOURTY members of the Noi Toga Rugby Club of Nawamagi Village in Sigatoka were handed gym equipment worth $12,380 by Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama.
During the handover on Monday, Mr Bainimarama said the level of skills from the rugby players would improve because of the new equipment.
“So now the 40 members who play regularly will not have to travel all the way to Sigatoka for conditioning and other useful training which is the conditioning and training you will need to excel,” he said.
“It makes me proud that with an expenditure of a little more than $12,000 you have basic fitness and training equipment that will allow these young people to train right in their own village.
“This project was funded under the Taiwan Grant for grassroots projects and it is worth every penny.”
He said it was the role of Government to create an environment of equal opportunity and that people should not have to settle for second class opportunities because they lived in a rural village.
Club manager Joeli Fatafei said there were two teams that trained regularly at the village gym.
“We have boys coming from all of the villages in the Conua district and our rugby team is playing in the Nadroga provincial games.
“Our second team just joined the rugby league games and last year we started playing competitions.
“I believe this equipment will help us get the boys improve their game and try and make a better life for themselves.
“The ultimate goal is to get the boys to play professional rugby and get a contract overseas.”
A similar gift was made to the Blue Dolphin Rugby Club of Votua Village.
