Ifereimi Rawaqa has been named the Interim Head Coach for the Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women as they prepare for the 2025 Buildcorp Super Rugby Women campaign. Rawaqa, who also serves as the Men’s Skills and Development Coach for Fijian Drua, succeeds Mosese Rauluni. Rauluni stepped down from the dual roles of head coach for both the Fijian Drua Women and the Vodafone Fijiana 15s following the WXV competition in Dubai.
The announcement was made by the Fijian Drua and the Fiji Rugby Union. Fijian Drua CEO Mark Evans expressed gratitude for Rawaqa’s willingness to take on this interim role during such a crucial time. He emphasized Rawaqa’s respect and reputation in Fijian rugby, noting that the Drua Women would be well-supported under his guidance.
Rawaqa stated it was an honor to lead the team, highlighting the significance of the upcoming season as it serves as a foundation for Fiji’s preparation for the 2025 Rugby World Cup. Among his initial priorities is collaborating with the assistant coaches and the Fiji Rugby Union High-Performance Unit to strengthen the squad’s depth.
The Drua Women have a commendable track record in Super Rugby Women, having won the championship twice in three years and reaching three consecutive grand finals. Rawaqa plans to begin pre-season training earlier this year and is eager to work with the players and coaching staff.
Rawaqa is a seasoned figure within the Fijian Drua coaching staff, overseeing recruitment and player pathways. Recently, he took the lead in establishing the soon-to-launch Drua Academy for schoolboys aged 17 to 18, participating directly in the selection of its inaugural player cohort. A distinguished former player with 44 Tests for the Flying Fijians, Rawaqa has competed in two Rugby World Cup campaigns and was part of the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens-winning team.
With World Rugby Level 3 coaching accreditation, Rawaqa began his coaching career in 2013 with the Lautoka Rugby Under-20 team, progressing to the head coach role for the main team in 2014. After a stint in Australia as a Rugby Talent Identification and Development Officer, he returned to Fiji to join the coaching staff for the Fijian Latui in the Global Rapid Rugby competition. He has also served as the Forwards Coach for the Fiji Warriors and led the Fiji U20 team in the 2023 Oceania competition and U20 World Rugby Championship in South Africa, where the team performed excellently.
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