The Fijian Drua have left for their new base in Australia in preparation for Super Rugby Pacific.
The team will be based at Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre in Lennox Head, NSW.
Fijian Drua Interim CEO Brian Thorburn says they needed to find a home base where the team could initially prepare over 3 months until the end of January 2022 and then they could use it as a home base for their Super Rugby Pacific matches during the 2022 season.
He says finding an environment where they could spend almost eight months was a big challenge but they are happy with where they have landed.
Thorburn says the Lake Ainsworth facility provides everything that they need, it has an excellent training field, a great gym and all the facilities needed to provide a professional environment for a Super Rugby team.
He adds players will stay in cottages on-site, enjoy very high-quality dining facilities, with team rooms and coaches’ offices that are a great fit. Owned and operated by the NSW Government Office of Sport, Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre is one of the premier high-performance training venues in NSW with a track record of hosting national, international and professional sporting teams.
Located just minutes from the township of Lennox Head, the facility is adjacent to the ocean, and the beautiful Lake Ainsworth.
Thorburn says it’s just such a stunning part of the world, with a great climate, and being so close to the lake and ocean, making it ideal for the players as a home away from home for the 2022 season.
He says they are one hour down the expressway from the Gold Coast and a short 20 minutes from Byron Ballina Airport.
The Interim CEO thank the management and executives of the Office of Sport and the Minister for their welcoming approach. We leave Fiji this Thursday on Fiji Airways flight FJ1911 and we can’t wait to settle into our new home.
Around 23 players departed Fiji this morning.
Super Rugby Pacific will begin on the 18th of February next year.
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