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Fiji rocked by 3 sackings as CEO takes 'annual leave' as internal audit launched

Fiji captain Leone Nakarawa dejected after another All Blacks try. All Blacks v Fiji, Steinlager Series, international rugby union test match. FMG Stadium Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Saturday 17 July 2021. © Copyright Photo: Bruce Lim / www.photosport.nz

The Fiji Rugby Union is conducting an internal investigation with three staff members sacked while John O’Connor, the chief executive, has agreed to take annual leave.

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Over the years various Pacific Islands rugby unions have faced investigations over the financial handling of their affairs and now Fiji is dealing with speculation and rumour at a time when its sevens team is preparing for the World in South Africa next month. The move comes just a year away from the Rugby World Cup in France.

Against a backdrop of growing uncertainty, FRU chairperson Commodore Humphrey Tawake said the board was planning to conduct an internal audit.“We had to terminate three staff members and I cannot divulge the names or the offences now due to investigations being conducted,” said Tawake. He insisted CEO John O’Connor had not been suspended, but said he was away on “annual leave”.

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National operations manager Sale Sorovaki has relieved O’Connor to ensure operations and domestic competitions remain unaffected.

The FRU issued a statement to try and end speculation which read: “Following the discovery of certain breaches of internal processes, Fiji Rugby Union has terminated three staff last week, and this has promoted the FRU Board to also bring forward an audit that was scheduled for later on in the year as part of operations.

“While addressing the media during a press conference this afternoon, FRU Board Chairman Commodore Humphrey Tawake said that they were conscious of social media speculations leading to misinformation, especially with FRU CEO Mr. O’Connor. In that regard, Commodore Tawake said: “An audit is part of the everyday business function and for Fiji Rugby to facilitate that immediately, FRU CEO has volunteered to take annual leave to allow for the process to happen seamlessly”.

FRU’s National Operations Manager, Mr. Sale Sorovaki will relieve the CEO for the next few weeks commencing from today so that FRU’s operations and domestic competitions remain unaffected.

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Commodore Tawake further stated that “at this stage, there everything remains and operates as normal. We have just completed our provincial tournaments and have now moved our focus to the schools’ competitions. The daily operation at Rugby House also remains normal”.

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Luke 1074 days ago

rugby pass please tell the world that it is no longer Fiji rugby union but frank rugby union... please investigate the nepotism within ...

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Soliloquin 1 hour ago
Competing interests and rotated squads: What the 'player welfare summer' is really telling us

I don’t know the financial story behind the changes that were implemented, but I guess clubs started to lose money, Mourad Boudjellal won it all with Toulon, got tired and wanted to invest in football , the French national team was at its lowest with the QF humiliation in 2015 and the FFR needed to transform the model where no French talent could thrive. Interestingly enough, the JIFF rule came in during the 2009/2010 season, so before the Toulon dynasty, but it was only 40% of the players that to be from trained in French academies. But the crops came a few years later, when they passed it at the current level of 70%.

Again, I’m not a huge fan of under 18 players being scouted and signed. I’d rather have French clubs create sub-academies in French territories like Wallis and Futuna, New Caledonia and other places that are culturally closer to RU and geographically closer to rugby lands. Mauvaka, Moefana, Taofifenua bros, Tolofua bros, Falatea - they all came to mainland after starting their rugby adventure back home.

They’re French, they come from economically struggling areas, and rugby can help locally, instead of lumping foreign talents.

And even though many national teams benefit from their players training and playing in France, there are cases where they could avoid trying to get them in the French national team (Tatafu).

In other cases, I feel less shame when the country doesn’t believe in the player like in Meafou’s case.

And there are players that never consider switching to the French national team like Niniashvili, Merckler or even Capuozzo, who is French and doesn’t really speak Italian.

We’ll see with Jacques Willis 🥲


But hey, it’s nothing new to Australia and NZ with PI!

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