Brive Rugby Club director Nicolas Godignon and Sisa Koyamaibole at the French Embassy in Suva yesterday. Photo: Alfonsa Wayap

Ratu Navula College has being chosen by the Brive Rugby Club in France to set up their rugby academy.
Brive Rugby Club director Nicolas Godignon and former Flying Fijians No 8 Sisa Koyamaibole visited the country for the second time this week with confirmation of the school selected.
The duo toured schools which included Queen Victoria School, Suva Grammar School, Marist Brothers High School, Natabua High School, Ba Provincial Free Bird Institute and Ratu Navula College earlier this year with their proposals and returned this week with the outcome.
Nicolas Godignon confirmed that the club has chosen Ratu Navula College to set up their academy.
“We just visited schools with our academy proposals but our second visit now is us coming with the confirmation and also to do all process correctly,
“Doing process correctly meaning we need to do all registrations and all paper work and we were thankful with the Government’s support and the Fiji Secondary School Rugby Union (FSSRU),” Godignon said.
Some of the main objectives of this project are to develop and create and build up educated rugby players and also impart knowledge of the French culture. Sisa Koyamaibole also stated that the FSSRU understood what the project would contribute as far as rugby is concern to students.
“ FSSRU is very supportive for this academy to be successful. We are not only here to build better rugby players, but also assist them in their education in France. If they do well, they will follow footsteps of professional Fijian players in France.
“This is a very ambitious project and we are not only looking at rugby players but talents,” Koyamaibole said.
“This is to give back to Fiji as what Fijian players have given to France.” Fijian players who are currently playing for Brive include Sevanaia Galala, Dominiko Waqaniburotu and have recently signed in Vodafone 7s speedster Benito Masilevu.
ansilinir@fijisun.com.fj