RKS duo named in 7s squad

Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS) students Suliano Savenaca and Lemeki Senikau who were part of the Vodafone Deans Trophy (Under-18) winning team are in the national men’s sevens extended squad. They are among the eight new players who joined this week.

Head coach Osea Kolinisau said he has included two players from Naitasiri and four from the Skipper Cup champions side, Malolo and Apimeleki Nasalo from Lautoka Maroons.

Ratu Kadavulevu School Under-18 flanker Suliano Savenaca flips a pass during the Fiji men’s sevens training at Albert Park, Suva on November 11, 2025.

Photo: Josua Buredua

Malolo players in camp are Aminiasi Naituyaga, Isaia Rugu, Tomasi Tawake and Esala Nalobo. He said they will have a development team tour to Korea, which is part of an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between Fiji Rugby Union and Korea Rugby.

About 14 men will be selected for Korea while 13 will be named tomorrow for the Dubai 7s on November 28-30.

“They invited the sevens team too and it’s a good opportunity to expose these youngsters, and also have a look at them while we’re in camp,” he said.

The new players marched into camp earlier than scheduled.

“We decided that we wanted to bring them in this week, so they get used to our standard, our culture, they learn what we need from them so they have a fair understanding of what we want, especially from training and they can work on that.

“I’m excited that they get an opportunity to go to Korea and get exposed to overseas travel.”

From left: Esala Nalobo, Aminiasi Naituyaga, Tomasi Tawake and Isaia Rugu following the Fiji men’s sevens training at Albert Park, Suva on November 11, 2025.

Photo: Sereana Salalo-Baleiwai

Kolinisau added that five players will also be playing at the Dubai Invitational sevens and will be on stand-by if there is a need of an injury replacement leading to Cape Town.

“It’s going to take a long time for a player from Fiji to travel all the way to Dubai, and I know jet lag and the time difference, and that’s why we are excited with UAE (United Arab Emirates) rugby, giving us an opportunity.

“We also want to thank Qatar rugby as well for paying for us to come early and allowing us to prepare really well.”

Fiji is pooled with South Africa, France and Argentina.

“We really want to start well this year,” Kolinisau said.

“Although we are defending champions, the format has changed.

“There’s eight teams, and, you know, top two go straight to the semifinal.

“There is no more quarterfinal and that’s what we’re working with.

“We’re on working especially on kickoff; last year’s is a championship, we got, we won the ball, but we got blown away in the, in the rock, and there’s something we know, they try to attack.

“Teams will try to attack our lineout and breakdown as well, , they don’t want to give Fiji a lot of balls. They always say, if you want to beat Fiji, keep the ball away from them.

“Something we’re trying to learn from last year is trying to keep ball for a long time, and we know that when we keep the ball for a long time, we score a lot of tries out of that.”

Feedback: sereana.salalo@fijisun.com.fj