Prior to my holding the post of president of The Malta Rugby Football Union (MRFU) in 2004/2005, representations had already been made to the relevant ministers and public authorities for the allocation of an area at The Marsa for a suitable national rugby football stadium and pitch. It was already known then that our continued use of the Marsa athletics ground pitch could not continue, owing to changes in the rules applicable to the dimensions of pitches and pitch safety boundaries

Further representations during my period in office were very well received by the minister of the time Censu Galea, his education and sports advisers and The National Council for Sport, especially as the MRFU had made commitments to carry out the now successfully implemented programme for the development of inclusive (boys & girls) “Tag” or “touch rugby” in schools for eight- to 12-year-old students, more than 1,000 of whom, of all abilities, value and enjoy their participation in a vigorous outdoor field sport. The selection of our National Rugby coach specifically spelt out that as being one of the key objectives of his appointment. Negotiations with the relevant ministers and agencies, were, I understand, maintained with continued urgency after my presidency.

The success of our internationally respected National Men’s and Women’s sides depends on the MRFU’s ability to provide facilities and expanded resources that ensures the keenness and attraction of Rugby Football for those youngsters of 2004, 2005 and 2006 who are now coming into the full bloom of their Rugby Union football careers and have the opportunity of representing their nation.

A policy was also adopted during my presidency to develop associations with overseas clubs and federations with the key objective of bringing to Malta teams for “out of season” training, as well as play in local international tournaments and against our local sides. This tradition has not only continued, but has expanded as experience and facilities permit. It is of particular personal pride that it was at the insistence of the MRFU Council, of which I was at then president, that Malta Women’s Rugby Association and Malta Rugby Referees Association both be full members of the MRFU, which decision has proved fruitful. Our ladies are internationally recognised as being among the best Women’s Rugby Union sides in Europe and that alone attracts a significant number of applications to the MRFU for visiting sides to our country – many of which have to be refused due to the absence of adequate facilities. Among our referees we now have a tremendous ambassador for Maltese Rugby in a referee appointed by the European authority to manage international championship matches.

This year alone I have personally received three direct applications from leading UK national and regional sides including The London Welsh Club that wished to bring their First team players to Malta for pre-season training. Probably some 30 to 45 players, plus coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, administrators and no doubt family supporters that could have amounted to 60 people staying for up to 10 days in a five-star hotel.

Perhaps our ministers are not aware that Rugby Union is no longer the “amateur game of ruffians played by gentlemen” but is a highly paid sport with players’ salaries comparable with those of many first and second division football players and with most leading clubs having more than 20,000 spectators for every game.

How ironic that on the day a leading local newspaper reported the possible transfer of the proposed Marsa Pitch 5 (MRFU Stadium) to an economically questionable equestrian project, another Minister of Tourism, or his Parliamentary Secretary published a well argued case for additional inducements from the government for those national sports authorities that actively support and promote “sports tourism” to our island?

Let us be clear. Rugby is Malta’s fastest growing team sport enjoying international success, it is highly orientated toward sports tourism and is hugely supportive of children’s physical fitness and children’s team sports. The MRFU has substantial financial commitment from the International Rugby Board (IRB) in Dublin and the European Rugby Football Union (FIRA-AER), which has voted to hold its annual conference in Malta next year, is further evidence of significant support.

Are we to say to these leading lights of the sport that “this is where we are building a national stadium available for international competition and training” or do we say “this is where we once had an opportunity to build?” Can we showcase our sport – and our country – or, do we try and explain that this lost opportunity arose because of less than e50,000 – the difference between the IRB’s commitment and what the MRFU can achieve in finding locally? Or is this issue the consequence of the government’s inability to think strategically and maximize the potential of an asset that is already there and ready to go?

The choice, minister, is yours. Be brave. Meet and talk to both your fellow Minister of Tourism and the MRFU and perhaps our nation can avoid the embarrassing debacle that threatens the FIRA-AER European Conference Malta 2010.

Adrian Wirth

MRFU President 2004/2005