Third rugby chief steps

A THIRD national rugby chief executive has left his post in the space of a week, with Keni Dakuidreketi stepping down from his role with Fiji just a day after Gordon McKie quit the SRU and a few days after John Steele departed the RFU.

Dakuidreketi resigned yesterday after ten years in the job.

"Its been my privilege and honour to have served an organisation which affects the very heart of the nation and where each and every individual regardless of creed or colour has an opinion," Dakuidreketi said. "Its been tough, there's no hiding behind that fact, but there have been rewards, such as the 2005 sevens rugby World Cup victory, the 2005-06 IRB world sevens series win and, of course, the wonderful performance at the 2007 rugby World Cup."

Dakuidreketi gave no reason for his decision, which comes just three months before the Rugby World Cup.

The FRU did not name an immediate replacement. New chairman Colonel Mosese Tikoitoga thanked Dakuidreketi for his "immense contribution to the development of the game and the FRU as a professional organisation."