A yoga and surf retreat is on the cards for former seven’s rugby head coach Ben Ryan, who was gifted three acres of land by the province of Serua after leading the country to its first Olympic gold media in Rio.
He revealed this in a lengthy interview with the South China Morning Post, which queried him on his honorary chieftaincy.
“You get the land – I can never sell it, but I can build on it and operate a commercial entity,” he explained.
“The plan would be to have a yoga and surf retreat, it’s on a really good surf break, and obviously employ locals to build it and work in it and profits would go back into the province.
“That’s down the track but it means that I’ll always have a relationship with Fiji.”
Ryan was bestowed the land at Vuibau in Serua and the honorary name of Ratu Peni Raiyani Latianara in a traditional ceremony in August. Additionally, he as was made a Companion of the Order of Fiji, the highest civil honour for non-citizens in Fiji.