Fiji turn to former great as stand-in CEO

Submitted by TemoL on Mon, 20/06/2011 - 8:55pm

Fiji's rugby chiefs have turned to former great Pio Tikoisuva to steer them through the World Cup as chief executive officer of the Fiji Rugby Union.

The FRU board named Tikoisuva as acting CEO on Monday and said he would stay in the post until after the September and October tournament in New Zealand.

In the meantime, the FRU would advertise the post in order to select the best possible candidate to lead Fiji's foremost sporting organisation, a statement on their official website said.

Keni Dakuidreketi stepped down from the post last week, becoming the third head of a national rugby union to leave their job inside a week following England's John Steele and Scotland's Gordon McKie.

Tikoisuva, or Bosco as he is commonly known, is renowned in Fiji as one of the nation's most talented players, leading Fiji to a famous 25-21 victory over the touring British Lions in 1977.

In more recent times, he was Fiji Rugby's first locally appointed CEO from 2002-05 and was Fiji's High Commissioner in the United Kingdom from 2007-11.

At the World Cup, Fiji are in Pool D and will face South Africa, Wales, Samoa and Namibia.