Fiji Rugby Union chairman Filimone Waqabaca, today signed in Dubai a ground breaking Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to open cooperative arrangements to develop rugby in the UAE.
The signing with UAE Rugby Federation chairman Mohammed Falaknaz was witnessed by the Fijian Ambassador to the UAE, Ambassador Robin Nair.
The initial focus of FRU will be to develop the seven’s format of the game.
Speaking from UAE, Mr Waqabaca said, “FRU was very pleased to be involved in the development of rugby in the United Arab Emirates as UAE rugby works towards getting its national sevens team into the IRB’s Sevens International Competition and also to assist the development of the Rugby in the UAE to international competition standards.
Mr Falaknaz said the UAE Federation was excited to take this step forward with Fiji Rugby.
we are especially excited with the opportunity to enhance the development of our 7’s players and we thank His Excellency Ambassador Robin Nair for introducing us to the Fiji Rugby Union,” Mr Falaknaz said.
The UAE Rugby Association, as it was then called, became operation only on 1 January 2011 and in June of that year, it was awarded with full membership of the Asian Rugby Football Union. In October 2012, the UAERA was upgraded to Federation status and in late November was awarded with full membership of the IRB.
This MOU is the first one that FRU has signed with any national rugby federation and it promises be a unique arrangement for mutual benefit of the two nations.
FRU has invited the UAE Sevens as a “wild card entry” to the Centennial Sevens International Tournament in Fiji in October 2013.
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