USP Hosts First Fiji Rugby Conference to Feature Academic Perspectives
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 | The President of Fiji, His Excellency, Honourable Ratu Epeli Nailatikau at the Rugby Centenary Conference held at the USP Japan-Pacific ICT Centre |
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The University of the South Pacific hosted the Fiji Rugby Centenary Conference: Reflections on the Past, Present and the Future, the first of its kind in the region, at its Laucala Campus in Suva, from 1 to 2 July, 2013.
The event marked the 100th anniversary of the Fiji Rugby Union, and served as a platform for discussion for academics, students, rugby officials and avid supporters of the Pacific’s favourite sport.
The inaugural conference sought to promote dissemination of emerging research on Fiji rugby, foster discussions and promote collaboration between academic researchers, rugby practitioners, journalists, stakeholders and the public.
The USP Vice-Chancellor and President, Professor Rajesh Chandra, extended his appreciation to the President of the Republic of the Fiji Islands, His Excellency, Honourable Ratu Epeli Nailatikau for accepting the University’s invitation to open the conference.
In congratulating the FRU for reaching its 100th year, Professor Chandra said “We are delighted to be hosting this first ever conference on rugby. I think it is fair to say that rugby has made Fiji and the Pacific famous all over the world.”
Professor Chandra said, “in rugby, we overcome the limitations of our size. The sport has played a significant, unifying role in putting Pacific countries in a spot of recognition among other countries, and as a result leveling the playing field literally. Apart from contributing to a sense of pride and cohesion, rugby has also become very important, economically”.
He said one of the things he hoped the conference would achieve was “how we can harness all of the benefits that can come from rugby. So this conference starts on the premise that rugby and other sports represent more than simply games that they are important to us in many ways, and like other areas it is a matter of some interest where we can have a dialogue around what is happening so that the game of rugby can be improved for the future.”
“This conference represents a thinking that academics and researchers and administrators, players and well-wishers of the game of rugby and what we gather for the benefit and improvement of rugby,” he added.
He said he hoped that the conference will have practical outcomes which will see further deliberation on the sport of rugby. Professor Chandra thanked the FRU for endorsing the conference and for its support as well as the support of the New Zealand High Commission and the Suva Point Apartments.
In opening the conference, the President, His Excellency, Honourable Ratu Epeli Nailatikau, said the conference was an opportunity for lovers of the sport to get together and talk about their favourite topic.
His Excellency commended the University’s efforts for drawing significant attention to the sport through this conference and indicated that academic perspectives on the sport were critical to its development.
“This anniversary conference offers us a unique opportunity to examine and discuss on how we may build upon the achievements of our predecessors,” he said.
An ardent fan of the sport and a former Combined Services rugby representative, the President indicated the significance rugby has had in Fiji’s global standing over the years, said the sport has the power to change the world and inspire people.
His Excellency also said that the sport needs to be continually developed at national levels for both social and competitive purposes.
Guest speaker, former Fijian rugby player, coach, manager and Chief Executive Officer of FRU, Mr Pio Bosco Tikoisuva, indicated his appreciation towards the University in being part of the conference.
“The Fijian way of playing rugby is different from the rest of the world,” he said, adding that with the strong physique and speed, it is these differences that have put Fiji rugby where it is today.
Mr Tikoisuva gave examples of the growth of the sport in Fiji and the development of national rugby players who have played for Fiji against other countries with great rugby prowess since the establishment of the FRU.
Guest speaker, former All Black Mr Eric Rush who had been sponsored by the New Zealand High Commission, said that just the fact that people were talking about rugby, expresses the significance of the subject, and the conference was a very good opportunity for rugby fans and officials, as well as academics to deliberate.
The conference consisted of panel discussions and seminar sessions, ranging from the history of rugby in Fiji, social mobility and migration of players, social inclusion and diversity, health and indicators of high performance to the role of sports science in rugby, and the role of Economics in rugby.
Presenters and panelists from Australia, New Zealand, Japan, England, Netherlands and America and from the Pacific region delivered seminars and contributed to the discussions.
Rugby officials, players and fans also discussed the way forward for Fiji rugby.
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