Ifereimi Rawaqa, the Men’s Skills and Development Coach for the Fijian Drua, has been named the Interim Head Coach of the Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women as they prepare for the 2025 Buildcorp Super Rugby Women season. He takes over from Mosese Rauluni, who stepped down from his dual role as Head Coach for both the Fijian Drua Women and the Vodafone Fijiana 15s following the recent WXV tournament held in Dubai.
The Fijian Drua and Fiji Rugby Union announced Rawaqa’s appointment. Mark Evans, the CEO of Fijian Drua, expressed gratitude for Rawaqa’s willingness to accept the role, citing his reputation as one of the most respected coaches in Fiji and the region. Evans noted that Rawaqa’s interim position would allow for a comprehensive recruitment process to find a permanent head coach.
In response, Rawaqa shared his honor in leading the team, emphasizing the importance of this season as a crucial step in Fiji’s preparation for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. He stated that one of his main focuses would be to collaborate closely with the assistant coaches and the Fiji Rugby Union’s High-Performance Unit to enhance squad depth.
Rawaqa highlighted the strong history of the Drua Women, who have won the championship twice in three years and reached three consecutive grand finals. He expressed enthusiasm for the pre-season training and working with both players and staff.
Having been a significant part of the Fijian Drua coaching team, Rawaqa oversees recruitment and development pathways for contracted players. He recently established high-performance protocols for the upcoming Drua Academy, aimed at schoolboys aged 17 to 18, and played a key role in selecting its inaugural group of players.
Rawaqa, a former Flying Fijian with 44 international Test matches, has participated in two Rugby World Cups and was part of the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens-winning team. He has attained World Rugby Level 3 coaching accreditation and began his coaching career with the Lautoka Rugby Under-20 team in 2013. His journey includes roles in Australia, coaching the Fiji Warriors and leading the Fiji U20 team in their recent competitions, where the squad made notable achievements.
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