FRU medical personnel go through Level 2 training

The Fiji Rugby Union Development team continues to evolve their engagement in building a safer rugby atmosphere for local players in domestic competitions by organizing an Immediate Care in Rugby Course, Level two for trained medical people last weekend.

A total of 15 participants with medical backgrounds attended the two days’ course at the Pacific Theological College in Suva with five World Rugby recognized trainers.

Fiji Rugby Physio manager and Course Director Jennifer Khalik Wainiqolo believes that player welfare is paramount and having proper trained medical personnel is significant especially in contact sports such as rugby.

“The game of rugby has grown in Fiji compared to the past years. We are having more competitions compared to the previous years and Fiji Rugby has always prioritized Player Welfare,” said Wainiqolo.

“One of the reasons we can look after player welfare is to make sure that medical personnel who are looking after a rugby match are properly trained. So the training that we are running is World Rugby Immediate Care in Rugby Course and it’s the minimum required and in order to work with an international rugby team.

“So Fiji Rugby is training local doctors and these training medics can be available for our provincial games and our club games so that the Welfare of the Players are well looked after and like I said it’s a priority for Fiji Rugby and because it’s a priority, that’s why Fiji Rugby is fully funding this training and we are running the course free of charge.

Lack of skilled trained medical officials in local rugby competitions has been a setback in the past and Fiji Rugby Development manager Lionel Danford has set his focus in organizing courses for Immediate Care in Rugby and other medical programs to assist in the welfare of players during rugby games.

“Player Welfare is World Rugby Utmost Priority which becomes Fiji Rugby Priority too,” said Danford

“The Course is called an ICIR Course (Immediate Care in Rugby) and the Development Unit is to ensure that we run this Course so that we have enough ICIR trained Medical personnel to meet the high demands in Rugby competitions around the country and as mentioned, to save lives.

Meanwhile the Development Unit is looking forward to broaden the ICIR course in the western and northern division in the future.