A total of 57 players from various Fiji Secondary Schools rugby zones participated in a two-day screening event at the Fijian Drua headquarters in Nadi this week. From this group, only 30 players will be chosen for the inaugural Drua Academy cohort.
Ben Takubu, the lead of the Drua Academy program, noted that the screening involved several coaches, including former representatives from the Flying Fijians. The players also collaborated with coaches from the Drua high-performance unit, Naca Cawanibuka and Eroni Sotutu.
“We conducted extensive recruitment from the Fiji Secondary Schools zones, including players from the northern, southern, and western divisions,” Takubu explained. The academy aims to retain local talent and minimize the risk of players being attracted to overseas opportunities.
The selected players for the Drua Academy are 18 years old and younger, which is a crucial age when many talents consider offers from abroad. “Essentially, the academy is designed to support contract players under 18 from their respective schools and to enhance their skill development,” added Takubu.
He expressed excitement about the potential of the talented youth involved in the program, stating, “We are fortunate to have these kids and we look forward to seeing the outcomes of this initiative.”
During the screening, players had the opportunity to observe the FIJI Water Flying Fijians in training. The final 30 players will be officially contracted by the Drua.