Former Flying Fijians flanker Koli Sewabu is the new Naitasiri rugby head coach.

This was confirmed by Naitasiri Rugby Union president Ratu Peceli Rinakama yesterday.

“Koli was one of the three applicants and he has got the job,”Rinakama said.

“He is still in New Zealand and he will be here next month. For the time being the team will be looked after by Ratu Emori Tuisese, Dr Ilaitia Tuisese Jnr, Ratu Peni Naulivou and Vereniki Tukana.

“We haven’t conducted our AGM and we want to revive our local zones, Navuso, Naitasiri West, Central and Naitasiri North,” Rinakama said.

They will start their club comp with a 10s tournament on February 11. But an open trial will be held a week later to select a team for the Skipper Cup competition.

Sewabu completed his coaching term last year by guiding Manawatu during the Rotorua 7s. He was heavily involved in Manawatu Club Rugby.

In 2016, he took over the head coaching role of Varsity, leading the club to the Hankins Shield title.

Sewabu started in his early playing days of secondary school rugby at first-five, wing and fullback. He later switched to flanker/No. 8 when he left school, a move welcomed by his former mentor and All Black legend Buck Shelford.

He played for Rewa Colts, Tailevu Development XV, Malolo in the Fiji B Division Comp before he pursued a Diploma in Tourism Studies in Auckland, NZ in 1997. In between his visits to Fiji, he played for Naitasiri in the Digicel Cup.

In 1998, he was selected into the Fiji team tour of United Kingdom under coach Brad Johnstone.He earned his first cap in May 1999 against Canada in the Epson Cup and played in all four of Fiji’s 1999 RWC games.

He also played for North Shore under Shelford and attained a business degree at Massey University.

He also played Bordeaux Bègles, Gloucester, Yamaha Jubilo and Manawatu Turbos. He retired from playing in 2008.