World Rugby reaffirms commitment to Pacific Islands rugby after Rugby Committee meeting

World Rugby’s Rugby Committee has reaffirmed its commitment to the sustainable progress of Pacific Islands rugby following highly positive and constructive meetings with the three unions in Nadi, Fiji, today.

The committee heard from the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga union representatives with regard to high performance matters, and in particular the future challenges and opportunities for the game in their respective territories. The Pacific Island Players’ Association also presented to the meeting.

The Rugby Committee, chaired by John Jeffrey and attended by incoming World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont and Vice-Chairman Agustin Pichot, agreed that the current support programmes for the three unions should be enhanced in the future.

World Rugby invested £26.8 million in the three unions in the last four-year Rugby World Cup cycle and is committed to continued support of the high performance and development programmes of the unions in the Rugby World Cup 2019 cycle through a £4 million investment in 2016.

The committee also noted that ongoing support needed to be considered in the context of a review of the following areas that impact the Pacific Island unions:

1. Future high performance investment levels
2. Conduct of agents
3. Player movement regulations
4. Player eligibility regulations
5. Future competition pathways
6. Player release regulations
7. Conduct of non-union rugby academies

Pichot will lead a working group to report to the October 2016 World Rugby meetings with recommendations under each of the above areas.

Rugby Committee Chairman Jeffrey said: “The Pacific Islands hold a special place in rugby’s rich history and indeed rugby’s future. These positive and highly-constructive meetings gave the committee a unique opportunity to consider the opportunities and challenges faced by the Islands and to drive a process that will sit alongside ongoing governance reforms to deliver a blueprint for a prosperous game for each of the unions.”

Source: World Rugby Press Release