Coaches Target Untapped Talents

Vodafone Fiji Bati head coach Wise Kativerata confirmed to SUNsports that there would be a test match for the Under-18 Fiji Secondary Schools rugby league boys and girls teams against Tonga in Suva on May 20.

"I am travelling with Fiji Bulikula coach Josaia Rabele in the West (Nadroga and Navosa) not only for the tests but for the rise of the Bulikula team as well," he said.

The coaches spent time at the Bemana Catholic Junior Secondary School.

"I hope to find more Maika Sivo and Noa Nadruku around here and what we saw so far is really promising."

Kativerata said they are currently holding rugby league school development clinics to benefit the players.

"There is talent everywhere in Fiji and we just need to get ourselves to the ground, do the work and recruit," he said.

"We are going in to do grassroots development, identify the players and invite them."

Kativerata said they had identified a 16-year-old girl from Bemana Catholic Junior Secondary School.

"We have players aged 15 to 17 in the girl's academy that will play against Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands," he said.

"We have players from the age of 18 to 23 going to the rookie programme in Gold Coast every march in the next four years through the Fiji National Rugby League."

Kativerata said the male players from aged 15 to 16 are in the process of development.

"By the time, these players are 17 or 18, they are ready to play against Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Cook Islands," he said.

"At the same time, NRL (National Rugby League) clubs come and watch them play. This is to give them ideas that these players cannot only play schoolboys team but rather the national schoolboys team."

Kativerata said the much-awaited clash between the Melbourne Storm and the Newcastle Knights on February 24 at Churchill Park, Lautoka has opened more opportunities for young players in Fiji.

"All the things that we do now is to better the future of these young players not only rugby league but for rugby union as well," he added

Feedback: ioane.asioli@fijisun.com.fj

https://poll.app.do/embed/2024-fijian-government