AFTER the forced hiatus because of the global pandemic, the return to the Fijian sporting landscape of the premier 7s event in the South Pacific, the 11th annual McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens, the tournament is thrilled to announce that Rugby Australia has confirmed that both the Australian A Women’s team and Australian Schoolboys team will compete in January’s event at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka.
Both Australian teams are being supported by Rugby Australia and the Australian government’s PacificAus Sports Program to travel to Fiji and compete for the Coral Coast Sevens titles.
PacificAus Sports provides opportunities for Australian and Fijian teams to play rugby together and build lasting friendships through sport.
Rugby Australia executive Anthony French said “PacificAus Sports funding is creating more opportunities for Australian and Pacific players to meet, play, and learn from each other. Australia and Fiji are bound together by our shared passion for Rugby. Vinaka vakalevu to the tournament organisers, Fiji Rugby Union and the people of Fiji for welcoming our teams to the Coral Coast Sevens”.
As part of the Pacific Aus Sports support for the tournament, the Australian government will also facilitate a visit to the tournament by Lote Tuqiri who continues his association with the event, being on site to present the Rising Star Lote Tuqiri Medal to the player of the tournament in the Outrigger Youth Division.
Founding chairman Jay Whyte stated: “The tournament is so appreciative to Rugby Australia and of course PacificAus Sports for their support and willingness to help continue to grow an already strong friendship between our two countries and of course the players at all levels.
“We have seen in years gone by with the success of the Aussie Pearls winning the title in 2012 and 2014 that this development pathway is mutually beneficial. We cannot wait to see what the Australian A women’s and Australian Youth team will do up against the best of Fiji.
“We are obviously appreciative to PacificAus Sports being able to bring our great friend Lote back home to Sigatoka to be with us for another chapter of the tournament.”
The McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens kicks off on the January 12 and will conclude January 14.
Entry is free to all spectators on all days thanks to the family of sponsors making this possible.
PAULINI CURUQARA – 24 December, 2022, 2:33 pm
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