Fiji Rugby cancels 2021 Domestic Competition and plans for early kick-off in 2022

The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) has today announced that it will not resume domestic competition this year and is planning for an early kick-off in 2022.

Even though we have received the approval and Certification for our ‘Safe Return to Training and to Play’ last Friday, after thorough consultation and careful consideration, we have decided to cancel all our domestic competition for 2021, Mr. O’Connor highlighted
 
From Monday 4^th October we were allowed to commence non-contact training in the field and training in the gym with limited numbers of 20 people at any one time, only for fully vaccinated players, coaches and management of Teams” FRU CEO John O’Connor said.
 
We expect full contact training to be allowed when Fiji achieves 80% of full vaccination and we look forward to the announcement of such relaxation. When such an announcement is made, fully vaccinated players and their Coaches will be allowed to commence full contact training.
 
The CEO of Fiji Rugby further added “After thorough consultation with all stakeholders and after discussions with Unions and taking into consideration that World Rugby and Fiji Rugby Return to Play protocols require a minimum of 5 to 7 weeks contact training prior to any competition which will take us into early December this year, it’s impossible to commence and complete any form of domestic competition safely this year.
 
We have seriously considered player welfare and safety especially since there has been no training for the last six months and the importance of ensuring compliance to the strict guidelines of our Safe Return to Train and Play and have advised all our Affiliate Unions that we will not be recommencing our Skipper, Vanua and the Women’s Competition this year.”
 
“We plan to kick off our competition early next year in March and have urged Unions to focus on their off-season training and prepare accordingly.
 
We have also urged all our Affiliate Unions to update the vaccination status of everyone involved in their respective Unions and ensure there is a process to cater for the upkeep of this vaccination data and also have process to ensure full compliance to all COVID-19 restrictions before they commence any competitions.
 
We will be working with the Unions to ensure we are in full compliance of the Safe Return to Train and Play protocols before we kick off our domestic competition in 2022.
 
We, however, are planning to host the final tournament of the Super 7s Series in November and will be confirming the details in due course.
 
Mr. O’Connor, thanked all the Unions for their ongoing support and understanding and wished everyone the best of Fiji Day celebration.
 
“I also wish to especially thank our sponsors for their support and assistance” he highlighted.