A LOT of hard work is needed for the transition of secondary schools players into the Fiji under-20 rugby program which is the pathway to the Fiji Airways-sponsored Fiji Warriors, Fiji Drua and Flying Fijians squads.
Two star secondary school players Apisai Senileba and Jiuta Wainiqolo were part of the Fiji U20 team which won the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy Championship in Romania last week.
Their team’s coach Koli Sewabu said the pair were stars for Ratu Kadavulevu School in the secondary schools rugby competition found it hard to transit to the U20 level.
He said it was a huge transition from the secondary schools competition level to the U20 team.
“It is a very different level from high school rugby and what is required at the U20 level,” Sewabu said.
“It will take a few months to build on their strength, conditioning and skills. We now have the academy program and most of the players in this team are from that. The players in the Fiji Warriors and the Fiji Drua are products of the academy, so that system is working.
“It is just a matter of selecting players in key positions to win tournaments.”
After the win at the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy Championship last weekend, Fiji will now feature in the 2019 World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina.
Sewabu said the World Rugby U20 Championship would be a step up.
“We will be playing against countries which will have players from stronger domestic competitions and also competitions such as Super Rugby,” he said.
“As long as we keep working hard, nothing will be impossible. We have our vison and goal in mind and we will be able to achieve all that at that level.”
