We watched how our local-based players lit up this year’s Super Rugby Pacific competition.

Yes, players from our very own Skipper Fiji Rugby Champion­ship, who were contracted to the Fijian Drua in their Super Rugby debut and were rub­bing shoulders with the top All Blacks and Wallabies players’ week in and week out.

It took them a few matches to adapt to the pace and soon they were at home with it.

The flamboyant performance of players like, winger Vinaya Habosi, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Apisalome Vota, Peni Mata­walu, Meli Derenalagi, Kitione Salawa, Rusiate Nasove, Tevita

Ikanivere, Vilive Miramira, Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, Meli Tuni, Kitione Taliga and so on are now being noticed and respected by rugby heavy­weights in Australia and New Zealand.

These players’ rise to stardom have fired up this year’s Skipper competition, which was won by Jack’s Nadi after their beating Naitasiri 16-14 in the grandfinal last Saturday.

This was after 14 weeks of competition, which was of high intensity.

More talented players were un­earthed as they put their hands up for the Drua jersey.

Drua players like Taliga, Ti­moci Sauvoli, Jone Koroiduad­ua, Chris Minimbi, Sorovakati­ni Tuifagalele and Leone Nawai can vouch on that as they played in the later part of the Skipper competition, after their rest period with the Drua was over.

For the Drua management who are based in Nadi, there’s no need to look far for players when we have talented players at their disposal.

These players have got what it takes to take the Drua to an­other level.

We put together a Match 23 squad based on players’ perfor­mance during the Skipper com­petition.

We also included Drua players who played for their provincial union teams as they helped lift the tempo of the game.

Let’s go local and give our play­ers the opportunity they truly deserve and they will definitely shake the rugby world.

Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj