As more sports agents and scouts are picking up young rugby players, especially after the conclusion of the Vodafone Super Deans competition, Wasserman Sports Agency consultant, Suliasi Botitu has stressed that they do not exploit young players.
While speaking to fijivillage Sports, Botitu who has been testing student rugby players, says they get consent from the parents.
He says they speak to the head of school who will then take them through to the head of PEMAC and then from there, finally down to the students.
Botitu says they then get to interview the students, after getting consent from their parents, and then they continue the process of what they normally do for any young rugby players.
When asked if he is accredited with the Fiji Rugby Union, Botitu says that is a grey area.
Botitu says he has a business license to operate in Fiji through Education in Sports.
He says they have also spoken to agents from Australia and New Zealand, who say they speak directly to the student players and get them signed not only in Union but in Rugby League as well.
The consultant says these agents have been doing that for the last few years.
Botitu says this year, they have not done any recruitment as they are still testing, and will finalise everything towards the end of this month.
He says they pick players not chosen by Fiji Rugby especially from Ratu Kadavulevu School, and will be sending them to France.
Botitu says six or seven players that they tested will have a ticket to France either at the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
He says one of his players, Peni Torau, scored his first try on debut for La Rochelle.
The consultant says that when a player is signed, they are often asked, through the club, to make a kind of donation as a goodwill gesture such as giving back to the school with items like rugby kits, balls, bags, kicking tees, and tackling shields.
Meanwhile, during the Fiji Rugby 2025 Symposium, Acting FRU CEO, Koli Sewabu outlined key reforms aimed at protecting young players, maintaining alignment with the national development pathway, and safeguarding the reputation of Fijian rugby.
He says no academy will be allowed to operate without approval from the FRU Board, highlighting the risks associated with unregulated programs that teach outdated techniques or disrupt talent pathways.
Sewabu also raised urgent concerns about unaccredited rugby agents who recruit local players without oversight, often exposing them to exploitation or unsafe conditions overseas.
The FRU plans to roll out a formal agent accreditation process to prevent such practices.
Sewabu says the FRU is reviewing its Child Protection Policy, stressing non-negotiable safety standards including medical screening, certified first aid, and clear parental consent procedures.
He adds that these policies are about more than regulation—they are about protecting young players and preserving the integrity of Fijian rugby.
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