Opinion: Way Forward for our Drua Women

This is a crucial year for women’s rugby in the country. Yes, it’s the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which is from August 22 to September 27 in England.

That means we’re less than six months away.

The Fiji Rugby Union has recently endorsed Welshman Ioan Cunningham as the Vodafone Fijiana XVs head coach and currently he has a lot on his plate in putting together his coaching staff, players along with other detailed plans and logistics for the tournament.

With that aside, that is why this year’s Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua’s participation in the Super W competition is very crucial especially in identifying the right players for the World Cup.

Drua’s interim head coach Ifereimi Rawaqa and his assistant Kele Leawere, have worked tirelessly with the current squad to get them up to par.

After the Drua’s 52-33 thrashing to the Brumbies in their pre-season clash in February, they immediately turned the tables around by beating defending Super W champions NSW Waratahs 23-16 in the season’s opener in Sydney. Then last Saturday, the Drua made a last-minute surge but it was not enough as they went down 22-19 to Queensland Reds in Lautoka. Today, they face the Brumbies again at the same venue and a win could boost their chances of having a home semi-final.

The Drua has already won the Super W titles in 2022 and 2023 while last year they reached the grand-final.

Now what should be paramount for the side is a good finish in the competition but moreover develop more players for the World Cup.

Here are three takes from the Drua’s performance so far in the two rounds of Super W competition.

NEED TO BUILD DEPTH

Coach Rawaqa, did just that when he injected 17-year-old lock Carletta Yee, Tiana Robanakadavu and Loraini Senivutu in today’s starting line-up.

We saw how these newbies changed the dynamics of Drua’s game when they came in the final quarter of the Reds clash. Trailing 22-0, Drua dominated the scrums, which resulted in three quick tries. The pushover try was claimed by No.8 Karalaini Naisewa, the other was a penalty try after Reds deliberately collapsed the scrum. The first try came from a rampaging run by Senivutu.

It’s best for our new players to be given more game time at this level and with the guidance of the older players they’ll provide the much-needed depth in the squad but moreover be able to rise to the occasion when the time is right.

SEVENS ELEMENT

We’ve seen how effective (men’s) players like Iosefo Masi and Ponipate Loganimasi have excelled in Super Rugby Pacific. These were sevens rugby players with no fifteens experience but took their chance when given the opportunity.

The Australians have now adopted that by introducing their women’s sevens star players like Tia Hinds, Bella Nasser Demi Hayes, Bienne Terita and Teagan Levi in the Super W competition.

Even our former Fijiana women‘s sevens forward Vani Buleki has showed her worth for Western Force scoring a try in their 29-29 draw against the Brumbies in their Super W opener.

Now we’ve players like Rusila Nagasau being tested against the Reds today however, it will be a matter of interest to give veteran sevens utility back Reapi Ulunisau a run at full-back in the fifteens code.

She was averaging three tries per game while playing No.15 for Nadroga in the Marama Championship before she was taken to sevens rugby where they won the bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

PLAY YOUR POSITION

Kolora Lomani and Vitalina Naikore are world class wingers. We saw how they starred for the Drua in their Super W triumph in 2022.

Last Saturday, Lomani struggled at halfback against the Reds while Naikore was far from her usual best at centre. Its best to keep them on the wings where they can do more damage for us.

The centres should soon be filled up with the likes of Merewai Cumu, Atelaite Buna and Vani Arei making their comeback from injuries.

At the same time, it is also ideal to introduce Adi Cakobau School’s halfback Noelani Baselala to Super W competition. The Suva women’s halfback is renowned for her fast deliveries, ability to eye gaps in the opposition defence before exploiting it and has a sound kicking game. Baselala will definitely keep Evivi Senikaravi and Setaita Railumu on their toes, which augurs for our World Cup campaign.

Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj