Ifereimi Rawaqa has been named the interim head coach of the Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women as they prepare for the 2025 Super Rugby Women campaign. Rawaqa currently serves as the skills and development coach for the Fijian Drua men’s team and steps in following the resignation of Mosese Rauluni, who held a dual role as head coach for both the Fijian Drua women and Vodafone Fijiana XVs.
Mark Evans, the chief executive officer for Fijian Drua, expressed appreciation for Rawaqa’s acceptance of the interim role. He emphasized Rawaqa’s reputation as a respected coach within Fiji and the broader region, noting that the team will benefit from his leadership during this critical season.
Rawaqa acknowledged the responsibility of coaching the Drua Women, recognizing the importance of this season as it lays the groundwork for Fiji’s preparation for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. One of his main goals will be to collaborate with the assistant coaches and the Fiji Rugby Union’s high-performance unit to enhance the team’s depth.
Under Rawaqa’s guidance, the Drua Women aim to build on their strong performance in the Super W, where they have twice clinched championship titles in three years and reached three consecutive grand finals. He plans to commence pre-season training earlier this year and looks forward to working with the players and coaching staff.
Rawaqa has played a crucial role in the Drua coaching setup, overseeing player recruitment and the development pathways for those contracted to the team. He recently led the high-performance initiatives for the upcoming Drua Academy for schoolboys aged 17 to 18 and was involved in selecting the first cohort of players for the academy.
With 44 Test caps for the Flying Fijians, Rawaqa has participated in two Rugby World Cup campaigns and was part of the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens winning team. He holds a World Rugby Level 3 coaching accreditation and has been coaching since 2013. His previous coaching roles include stints with the Lautoka Rugby Under-20 team, the Fijian Latui, and the Fiji Warriors, and he also led the Fiji U20 team at the Oceania competition and the U20 World Rugby Championship in South Africa in 2023.
Leave a comment