Ifereimi Rawaqa has been appointed as the Interim Head Coach for the Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women as they prepare for the 2025 Buildcorp Super Rugby Women season. Rawaqa, currently the Men’s Skills and Development Coach for the Fijian Drua, steps into this role following the resignation of Mosese Rauluni, who held the dual position of Head Coach for the Fijian Drua Women and Vodafone Fijiana 15s after the recent WXV competition in Dubai.
The decision was made collaboratively by the Fijian Drua and Fiji Rugby Union. Fijian Drua CEO Mark Evans expressed gratitude for Rawaqa’s willingness to take on this interim role, highlighting his respect and commitment within the rugby community in Fiji. Evans noted that this arrangement will allow time for a thorough recruitment process for a permanent Head Coach.
Rawaqa expressed pride in his new role, emphasizing the significance of the upcoming season as part of the foundation for Fiji’s preparation for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. One of his initial objectives will be to collaborate with assistant coaches and the Fiji Rugby Union’s High-Performance Unit to enhance squad depth.
The Drua Women have a strong reputation in Super Rugby Women, having won the championship twice in three years and reaching the grand finals three times consecutively. Rawaqa announced that pre-season will commence earlier this year and is eager to work alongside players and staff.
Rawaqa has been a vital part of the Fijian Drua coaching team, responsible for player recruitment and overseeing the player pathway at Drua Development. He has also led the high-performance setup for the upcoming Drua Academy, which caters to schoolboys aged 17 to 18, and played a key role in selecting the inaugural cohort of academy players.
A former Flying Fijian lock with 44 Test caps, Rawaqa participated in two Rugby World Cup campaigns in 2003 and 2007 and was a member of the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens-winning team. He holds a World Rugby Level 3 coaching accreditation and began his coaching career in 2013. His coaching experience includes roles with Lautoka Rugby, Australian rugby development, and the Fijian Latui coaching staff, along with serving as Forwards Coach for Fiji Warriors and leading the Fiji U20 team at international competitions.
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