Samoa, Tonga joins Suva Festival
The Suva Rugby Union have announced that the rugby unions of both Samoa and Tonga have accepted invitations to send 7s teams to the Suva Rugby Festival in January 2010.
“This is doubly fantastic news,” SRU and organising committee chairman Vilikesa Rauca said. “The Suva Rugby Festival is now guaranteed to be a showcase for international 7s rugby in the region.”
Held from 15-23 January 2010 at a number of venues in Suva, the Suva Rugby Festival promises to be one of the biggest rugby festivals in the world with more than 200 teams participating.
In accepting the invitation, Samoa Rugby Union CEO Sua Peter Schuster complimented the initiative, calling Fiji “a breeding and testing ground for any team that wants to achieve the ultimate prize of winning rugby 7s tournaments.”
“The Samoa Barbarians’ participation at the Suva Rugby Festival is a gauging opportunity for the Samoan team performance leading up to the IRB World 7s Series in Wellington,” adding that “the Suva Rugby Festival is the beginning of another era of 7s horizon to the Olympic Games.”
Tonga Rugby Union acting CEO Mark Hojelson also expressed delight with the invitation, calling the Festival “a highlight for the boys vying selection for the 7s team.”
“The Suva Rugby Festival participation will be an opportunity for local Tongan boys to try and match the best exponents of 7s rugby, and hopefully, give and take some lessons in the Pacific Islands brand of 7s rugby.
“Sevens rugby is now being re-introduced into Tongan club rugby, after a few year’s absence, with the establishment of an annual 7s tournament in September for selection of the Tonga national 7s team.
“All in all, the Suva Rugby Festival has definitely sparked a lot of excitement in the local club rugby circles,” Hojelson said.
The Suva Rugby Festival is the start of grand plans to celebrate the Suva Rugby Union’s centenary in 2012.
