The Fijian Drua implemented an expense reduction plan starting this year to ensure the franchise remains financially viable and sustainable.
Drua CEO Jeff Miller told RNZ Pacific on Monday that this step was taken as the club also faced financial challenges similar to those other Super Rugby Pacific franchises face.
RNZ Pacific understands that the Fiji-based franchise had begun discussions with its two shareholders – the Fiji government (51 percent) and the Fiji Rugby Union (49 percent) – about selling some shares to new investors.
Miller said all 10 Super Rugby Pacific clubs faced the same issues with finances.
A lack of cash flow forced the end of Moana Pasifika after this year’s Super Rugby Pacific season, resulting in the reduction of teams from 11 to 10 for the new 2027 season.
While World Rugby (WR) funding ran out at the end of June, the club has had support from the Australian government and the continued support of the Fiji government, the FRU and corporate sponsors, led by Fiji Airways.
“As with virtually all Super Rugby Clubs we are not immune from the financial challenges that we all face,” Miller said in response to questions raised by RNZ Pacific about the club’s financial future.
“Ours is compounded by World Rugby funding finishing in June 2026. This was anticipated and we have adjusted accordingly to ensure we maintain our ongoing financial sustainability.”
Miller said the Australian government through the Vuvale Union Treaty would provide some “bridging funding” that would also allow the franchise time to develop other revenue streams to help compensate for the completion of WR funding.
“With this funding and reducing our ongoing expenses we will should have enough to take us through 2027 and 2028.”
Hosting matches around Suva, Lautoka and Ba in the previous seasons had helped in generating income for the local economy.
However, RNZ Pacific unnderstands that continuing high expenses, including player contracts, had started to eat into the franchise’s financial base.
A source close to the issue told RNZ Pacific that discussions between the shareholders and the franchise in the past two years revealed there was a real need for the Drua to be “bailed” financially so they could keep operating.
The source said the books were getting weak as expenses were outstripping the assets and what the Drua was able to rake in.
“There was a proposal presented by the Drua that some shares be sold so they could get some new investment,” the source said.
Miller confirmed that there had been discussions in the past with the shareholders.
But he said that any moves to sell some shares to raise new investment would need to be put on hold with the future of the competition now being discussed.
RNZ Pacific has also contacted the Fiji Rugby for comment.
New Zealand Rugby (NZR) hosted a summit last week in Wellington with its stakeholders, with reports stating provincial unions were keen to discuss options around the competition and the National Provincial Championship (NPC).
Discussions reportedly included the possibility of merging Super Rugby franchises with local NPC clubs, or doing away with Super Rugby altogether, or leaving Super Rugby as it is, or adding two more franchise clubs.
“Once we have certainty from the NZR we will re-ignite the capital raise process,” Miller told RNZ Pacific.
“We are looking to raise additional capital but we have currently put that on hold until we can get a level of certainty from the NZR that Super Rugby Pacific will continue and the Drua being a perpetual license holder will continue to play in the competition.”
He said they believed some changes could help ensure the Super Rugby competition remains financially sustainable and he was hopeful that the Drua would still be a part of the competition moving forward.
“We believe there is an opportunity to elevate the current competition and we are supportive of some of the initiatives being investigated by the Super Rugby clubs,” he said.
“We understand that there needs to be some change to Super Rugby Pacific to ensure its financial sustainability.
“Super Rugby Pacific has been one of the best things to happen to Fiji in a very long time.”
Miller said the Drua had contributed significantly to the Flying Fijians’ climb in WR rankings, boosted Fiji’s economic growth through sports tourism, and become one of the most powerful brands in the Pacific.
“I know that the NZR and Rugby Australia are proud of their moves to include teams from the Pacific and it would be extremely disappointing if this was to occur. However, I am sure other opportunities will open up.”
Miller expressed gratitude to both NZR and Rugby Australia and individual clubs for providing Drua players the opportunity to play in their domestic competitions.
A number of players play in the Brisbane and Sydney competitions in Australia, and the NPC in New Zealand.
‘These competitions are extremely important for our players,” he said.
“While we would prefer to be playing in one or both of these competitions under a Drua badge as a team, the ability for us to place players in world class club competitions helps with the development of our players through the standard of the competition and the quality of the coaching.”
Drua will host eight home games in the Super Rugby Pacific next season, including their opening clash of the season against the Highlanders on 13 February 2027.
