Rawaqa joins Drua set-up as Skills and Development Coach

Rawaqa joins Drua set-up as Skills and Development Coach

By Navitalai Naivalurua
Thursday 16/11/2023
[Image: Fijian Drua]

Former Flying Fijians lock Ifereimi Rawaqa has joined the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua coaching staff as the team's new Skills and Development Coach.

The Drua says Rawaqa joins the Club at an important time to strengthen its coaching ranks and take charge of the development group.

They say Rawaqa has a World Rugby Level 3 coaching accreditation and has excellent experience as a coach and a player with 44 caps for the Flying Fijians.

Rawaqa started his coaching journey in 2013 with the Lautoka Rugby Under-20 team and took on the Head Coach role for the main side in 2014.

Rawaqa moved to Australia in 2016 to become a Rugby Talent ID & Development Officer at Kaizen Hill before returning to be part of the Fijian Latui Coaching staff for the Global Rapid Rugby competition.

He was the forward coach for the Fiji Warriors, and in 2022, he was Head Coach for Police for the prestigious Sukuna Bowl.

This year, Rawaqa was the Head Coach for the Fiji U20 team at the Oceania competition and U20 World Rugby Championship in South Africa, where Fiji had an impressive outing.

The Club says Rawaqa is one of Fiji’s most prolific Flying Fijians and has been part of two Rugby World Cup campaigns in 2003 and 2007, and he was also a member of the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens-winning team.

Fijian Drua CEO Mark Evans says having Rawaqa on the coaching staff is great for the Drua.

He says they are committed to building capacity among local coaches and high-performance staff and Rawaqa is a great fit for them, not just because of his experience as a player and a coach, but his specific knowledge of the Fijian rugby landscape.

Evans says Rawaqa has two very important roles in his position with the Drua making sure their squad has the skill sets required for first-class rugby and ensuring their development pathway is ready to step up to the requirements of Super Rugby Pacific when needed.

The CEO says he has already started working closely alongside Mick Byrne and their coaching staff in his new role, and they are very excited about what he brings to the Fijian Drua.

The Fijian Drua’s 2024 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season starts on February 24th against Blues in Auckland.

FNRL
FEATURE NEWS
$304.4M in concessional loans and grants secured for four bridges
$304.4 million in funding has been secured in concessional loans and grants for four bridges that have been identified under the Fiji - Critical Bridg...
2 hours ago
LATEST NEWS
Kalesi Volatabu selected as one of 17 Indigenous changemakers for the 2025 Atlantic Fellows for Social Equity program
Drug Free World Fiji founder, Kalesi Volatabu has been selected as one of 17 Indigenous and Pacific changemakers for the 2025 cohort which is part of ...
21 minutes ago

Disconnection between the Vanua, businesses and the provincial councils – GCC Chair
There is a missing link between businesses and the provincial councils, and today, the Great Council of Chiefs will discuss those missing links and ...
44 minutes ago

Two passengers still admitted with serious injuries at Lautoka Hospital
Two passengers remain hospitalized with serious injuries at Lautoka Hospital after a Goundar Shipping bus collided with a 4x4 vehicle at Vitogo, ...
2 hours ago

Bail denied for alleged wife killer Apisai Madigibuli
27-year-old Apisai Madigibuli's bail has been denied in the matter where he is alleged to have murdered his 25-year-old wife in April this ...
2 hours ago

Issuance of official passports to be amended
Cabinet has agreed to amend the issuance of official passports for senior categories of officials for official purposes and for the duration of their ...
2 hours ago



fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan
Latest Videos

Stay tuned for the latest news on our radio stations

CFL radio frequencies
yb
IN DEPTH
Sporting federations demand answers from FASANOC
National sporting federations who are part of Fiji Association of Sport and National Olympic Committee or FASANOC, are still calling for answers and ...
6 days ago

Continuous Radiology and Pharmacy services are now expected at Government Hospitals
Serious concerns are being raised by the public as the Ministry of Health has decided that radiology services and pharmacies at Government hospitals ...
6 days ago

Ratu Wiliame Katonivere declines Presidential nomination after an internal audit and investigation report
Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka confirms that President Ratu Wiliame Katonivere decided to decline Rabuka's nomination of him to serve a second term ...
7 days ago

TOP