Ifereimi Rawaqa has been appointed as the interim head coach for the Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women as they prepare for the 2025 Super Rugby Women campaign. Rawaqa, who currently serves as the skills and development coach for the Fijian Drua men, succeeds Mosese Rauluni, who recently stepped down from his position following the WXV competition in Dubai. This decision was announced by the Drua and Fiji Rugby Union.
Mark Evans, the CEO of Fijian Drua, expressed gratitude for Rawaqa’s willingness to take on this interim role. He highlighted Rawaqa’s esteemed reputation within Fiji and the region, emphasizing his commitment to rugby and the club. Evans stated that Rawaqa’s leadership will allow the Drua and Fiji Rugby Union to conduct a comprehensive recruitment process for a permanent head coach.
Rawaqa expressed his honor in taking charge of the Drua women for the upcoming season, recognizing its significance in preparing for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. He outlined his initial plans to collaborate with the assistant coaches and the FRU high-performance unit to strengthen the squad’s depth. Under his guidance, the Drua women have enjoyed notable success in the Super W, having won the championship twice in three years and reached the grand finals consecutively.
With plans to start pre-season training earlier this year, Rawaqa is eager to engage with the players and staff as they look to build on their achievements. He has been a vital part of the Drua coaching team, overseeing player recruitment and development pathways. Recently, he led the high-performance setup for the upcoming Drua Academy, focusing on players aged 17-18.
Rawaqa boasts a distinguished playing career, having represented Fiji in 44 Tests and participating in two Rugby World Cup campaigns. He also contributed to the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens championship team. As a coach, he holds a World Rugby Level 3 accreditation and began his coaching journey with Lautoka Rugby’s Under-20 team. His experience includes roles as a Rugby Talent ID and development officer in Australia, forwards coach for the Fiji Warriors, and head coach for the Fiji U20 team in recent competitions.
Leave a comment