Fiji Rugby mourns the passing of former board chairman Rafaele Kasibulu, who left us on Tuesday 25 November, closing a chapter on a life defined by service, humility, and an unwavering commitment to the sport he loved.
He leaves behind a legacy woven not through headlines or spotlight moments, but through steady leadership, courageous stewardship, and a lifelong devotion to the growth of rugby in Fiji.
Mr Kasibulu will be remembered as a man who stepped forward when the game needed him most. He joined the board in 2010. A year later during one of the most turbulent governance periods in Fiji Rugby Union history, he accepted the responsibility of Interim Chairman of the Fiji Rugby Union. At a time marked by uncertainty and financial upheaval, he brought calm, dignity, and stability.
Hailed from Kanakana, Tunuloa, Cakaudrove, he led critical dialogue with government and international partners, preserving Fiji’s standing with World Rugby (IRB at the time) and ensuring the national team’s pathway toward the Rugby World Cup remained intact.
He served not for recognition, but out of duty. He guided the board through crisis, called for accountability, and then, true to his character, chose not to seek reappointment, describing his tenure as the work of a “caretaker.” He believed leadership was service, not position. He walked away without fanfare, having done exactly what he came to do: steady the ship for the sake of Fiji Rugby.
But Mr Kasibulu’s story began long before the boardroom.
At the grassroots level, Marist Rugby Club was his home. A former club president, he poured years of quiet labour into nurturing players, strengthening competition pathways, and keeping alive the values that make rugby in Fiji more than just a game. For those who played under the Marist banner, he was a mentor, a calming presence, and at times, the man who rolled up his sleeves when others walked away.
His contributions extended beyond men’s rugby. In an era when women’s rugby in Fiji was little more than a dream, Mr Kasibulu stood among the early believers. In 1997, he led critical fundraising efforts to support the first Fiji women’s sevens touring team, a gesture of faith in a future many could not yet see. Today, as the Fijiana stand proudly on the world stage, part of their foundation rests on the shoulders of pioneers like him.
Mr Kasibulu was not a man of loud moments; he was a man of steady ones.
Not a man who sought praise; but one who earned respect.
Not a man who chased power; but who offered service.
His legacy is written in the countless players he supported, the administrators he guided, the women he helped empower, and the Union he steadied when everything else was shaking.
As Fiji Rugby bids him farewell, we honour a life lived with purpose, humility, and unwavering love for the game and its people.
We honour a man whose footsteps will be hard to fill, but whose spirit will remain woven into the fabric of Fiji Rugby forever.
Rest in peace, Rafaele Kasibulu.
Thank you for everything you gave to Rugby.
Vinaka vakalevu
