Rugby

dilemma

By Andrew Kacimaiwai

THE International Rugby Football Board is investigating reports that

professional rugby league players, in

cluding sporting brothers Noa Nadruku and Mesake Seavula, have been playing

rugby union again in Fiji.

A storm of controversy erupted in the last week of November when Nadruku and Seavula, and other local-based

league players, played for their home

province of Nadroga in a charity rugby

match alongside current Fiji rugby reps.

The Fiji Rugby Football Union presi

dent, Ratu Sir Kamisese Mara, warned the Nadroga Rugby Union not to allow league players with the FRFU threaten ing the Nadroga union a one-year ban.

The International Rugby Football Union’s media liason officer, Chris Thau, said in a telephone interview from Bristol, in England, that the brothers’ actions were illegal. “I don’t know the exact wording of the law,”

Thau said, “but that’s illegal.” A statement from the IRB’s administrat ive secretary, Hugh Penman, confirmed that a full report would be sought from the FRFU.

“I have to point out that the regulations relating to amateurism do not permit any person who currently

plays rugby league for material benefit

to play any form of rugby union match,” he said in a statement.

Nadruku plays for the Canberra Raiders in the Australia Winfield Cup competition, and made his debut season in style, topping the try-scorers list with 22 tries from 21 games.

He has just renewed a three-year

contract with the Raiders, and has

impressed Australians tremendously

with his potential and abilty to adjust to a new game. Penman explained that former league players could be re instated to union to coach, select, administer or promote the game below national level after a three year stand down period. “ ... but he will not be permitted to play or referee at any level”.

In the first week of November, Nadruku had led a Canberra Sevens

team to the inaugural Fiji League

Sevens tournament. The charity match was reported to have been his third game of rugby since then. Both Nadruku and Seavula are former Fiji rugby union reps who switched to league when the sport was introduced to Fiji in 1991. Nadruku has also played for the national rugby league side against Papua New Guinea and a

Queensland selection.

Nadroga Rugby Union president Peter Hughes has defended their in clusion, claiming the match was a charity game and thus outside the FRFU jurisdiction. Hughes is a former Fiji national player and a member of the Fiji Rugby Football Union executive.

One former FRFU executive disagreed, however, and pointed out that the brothers played in Nadroga’s official colours, black and white, and wore the union’s badge, a rising stallion.

Penman also disagreed. “... as far as charity matches are concerned, ... these ... come within the jurisdiction of individual unions who are responsible for ensuring that the provisiions of the regulations relating to amateurism are adhered to.” Penman said should it be proven that these league players are full-time professionals, there haas been a breach of the amateurism regulations. {Fiji Times newspaper ran a back-page

picture of Seavula playing for Nadroga in the controversial match).

Former Fiji Rugby League executive Gulden Kamea also spoke out against it, al though for different reasons, saying in jury could threaten

Nadruku’s profes

sional career. Aus tralian league offic ials have condoned Nadruku’s actions, describing his games as good off-season training. League in Fiji is professional, unlike in Western Samoa or Tonga

where rugby players

are allowed to play league in the off season provided they preserve their ama teur status. □

Arin Chandra

Caught in the act: rugby league’s Mesake Seavula prepares to pass for the Nadroga union side against the Army team in November