The Fiji Times

Hard work pays off for Ikanivere

Young rugby hooker Tevita Ikanivere said he was happy that hard work and sacrifice had resulted in the signing of his professional contract with the Fijian Drua. “I am really thankful and honoured to be part of this Fijian Drua team going into Super Rugby next year,” Ikanivere said. The former Queen Victoria School athletics...

Rugby-Foster urges All Blacks to complete Rugby Championship grand slam

(Reuters) – Coach Ian Foster wants his All Blacks to focus on claiming their own grand slam next weekend when they face South Africa looking for a clean sweep in The Rugby Championship after handing the world champions a narrow loss on Saturday. Jordie Barrett’s late penalty earned Foster’s side a 19-17 victory over the...

Springboks sticking with the kicking for All Blacks rematch

TOWNSVILLE, 28 SEPTEMBER 2021 (AFP) – The world champion Springboks have pledged to stick with their kicking game, despite being on a three-match losing streak, giving New Zealand plenty to work on ahead of their rematch this weekend. Coach Jacques Nienaber replied with a blunt “I don’t think so” when asked if a change of...

Rugby-Pumas coach Ledesma rues handing easy points to Wallabies

(Reuters) – Coach Mario Ledesma was left to regret a series of missed opportunities as Argentina slipped to another loss in The Rugby Championship against Australia in Townsville on Saturday. The Pumas remain without a win in the opening five matches in the competition following a 27-8 defeat at the hands of the Wallabies, and...

Tuimaba’s winner: Yasawa flyer helps club in French Top 14

A late try by Olympics gold medallist and Pau winger Aminiasi Tuimaba was enough to secure a 23-22 win against Montpellier in their Top 14 round four clash at the Stade du Hameau, France over the weekend. Pau trailed Montpellier from the first whistle, until the final three minutes when a break in midfield saw...

Rennie wants Wallabies to be more ruthless

BRISBANE,27 SEPTEMBER 2021 (AFP) – The Wallabies might have won three in a row for the first time since 2017 but “grumpy” coach Dave Rennie wants more ruthlessness, complaining they were not clinical enough against Argentina. Buoyed by back-to-back upsets of world champions South Africa, Australia put Los Pumas to the sword 27-8 in Townsville...

Kiwis retain rugby title

SYDNEY -New Zealand narrowly justified their number one world ranking with a hardfought 19-17 win over world champions South Africa in Townsville on Saturday to win the Rugby Championship title with a match to spare. The 100th Test between rugby’s two most successful nations did not disappoint and it was not until fullback Jordie Barrett...

Silktails change; streamline pathways program

The Kaiviti Silktails will be changed into an under-23 side heading into the 2023 New South Wales Rugby League Ron Massey Cup. “The under-23s format will be a Silktails only criteria to make the team,” said Silktails interim chief executive officer Stephen Driscoll . “This is just to streamline our pathways program and strengthen our...

Suva four join club in Israel

Another two Suva Rugby Union players, Ananaia Rabonu and Sailosi Turagaluvu, have joined the bandwagon securing contracts to ply their trade with the Tel Aviv Heat Rugby Club in Israel. “That makes it four Suva players as they join Israel Immanuel Azariah and Nemani Buliruarua who were signed earlier,” said Suva team manager Nemani Tuifagalele....

Rugby Championship: Samu Kerevi centre of attention as Wallabies continue winning streak

The Wallabies have notched three-straight wins for the first time since 2017, beating a plucky Argentina 27-8 as James O’Connor made a successful test return in Townsville. Samu Kerevi’s powerful running set the scene for the Wallabies, the centre setting up and scoring a try to create a 17-3 halftime buffer. Australia lost their rhythm...

All Blacks edge Springboks in Rugby Championship thriller

New Zealand narrowly justified their number one world ranking with a hard-fought 19-17 win over world champions South Africa in Townsville on Saturday to secure the Rugby Championship title with a match to spare. The 100th test between rugby’s two most successful nations did not disappoint and it was not until fullback Jordie Barrett kicked...

Cawanibuka joins Drua

The new head of athletic performance Nacanieli Cawanibuka says to compete with the best in professional rugby and work with the some of the best coaches, management and players in the sport, is the dream of a lifetime for any Fijian. His work ethic, discipline and commitment are world-class. Naca has worked tirelessly over the...

A historic 100th test

The All Blacks and Springboks, two of the sport’s most decorated nations, meet for the 100th time. A century on from their maiden meeting in 1921 in Dunedin, which was won by the All Blacks 13-5, rugby’s fiercest rivals reignite their feud tonight. The All Blacks lead the all-time head-to-head record with 59 wins from their 99 encounters to date, while the Springboks have...

Byrne to steer Drua’s Super Rugby course

New Fijian Drua coach Mick Byrne wants to showcase the local Fijian rugby fl are to the world. In a press conference yesterday Byrne said it would be that brand of exciting rugby that our players and fans love, but with clinical aspects to it in both attack and defence. “It will be hard work in our first two seasons but the...

All Blacks: Bruised Springboks on a mission to reverse miserable form in Townsville

Springboks coach Jacques Nienaber began his preparations for the test against the All Blacks in Townsville with an apology. Having decided excuses weren’t an option immediately after the 30-17 loss to the Wallabies in Brisbane last weekend, his team’s second defeat to them in as many weeks, Nienaber launched into damage control. He did what...

OPINION: The epic clash

The shift from Wellington to Hamilton has proven to be fantastic in terms of crowd and getting a party atmosphere, but for me the yellow seats at the Cake Tin bring back epic memories of sevens battles in the windy capital of New Zealand. Way back in 1999 when the International Rugby Board (IRB) decided to have a WRSS circuit, the rivalry between...

Wallabies to front Pumas in round 5

It’s hard to believe that the 2021 Rugby Championship is almost coming to an end. Fans have seen four weeks of exciting, enterprising and bruising rugby. This weekend on Saturday night in Queensland, fans will see the penultimate round of matches, and although the All Blacks are running away with the Rugby Championship trophy, there...

Fijian Drua selection excites tough flanker

Powerful loose-man Nemani Nagusa is excited for what the future holds returning to the limelight as one of the first five players signed on for the Fijian Drua 2022 Super Rugby campaign. “It is the first Fijian side to ever compete in Super Rugby, and I feel very humbled and privledged to be named in...

Drua ‘make do’ with available players

The main challenge facing the Fijian Drua selection panel currently is the time frame for signing up players which only started two weeks ago. As a result a few players targeted by the Fijian Drua slipped through the net signing up contracts overseas. Fiji Rugby general manager high performance Simon Raiwalui revealed that they have...

Mick Byrne is new Fijian Drua coach

Mick Byrne has been confirmed as the new Fijian Drua Head coach. The announcement was made by the Fiji Rugby Union this afternoon. Byrne was the skills coach with the New Zealand men’s rugby union team that won the World Cup in 2011 and 2015. He was appointed as kicking coach for the Australian rugby...

Former All Blacks flanker Waka Nathan dies aged 81

Waka Nathan, a star loose forward for the All Blacks in the 1960s, has died aged 81. Nathan, who suffered from dementia in his later years, was nicknamed the Black Panther and played 14 tests for New Zealand, never being on the losing side. He made his All Blacks debut in 1962 on a tour...

World Rugby suggests maximum 15 minutes of full contact training per week for elite players

World Rugby are suggesting elite players have a maximum 15 minutes of full contact training per week as part of new guidance aimed at improving player welfare. The global governing body has issued the “contact training load” guidance after consultation with nearly 600 players from 18 elite competitions around the world. World Rugby estimates that...

‘Best in the world’

Marika Koroibete has been labelled as the current “best winger in the world.” Two of Australia’s rugby pundits have given the five-star rating for the Namosi native and former Nasinu Secondary School student after his outstanding performance in the Bledisloe Tests and the Rugby Championship. They are Rugby Australia director of rugby Scott Johnson and...

Ratave hits headlines

Namosi winger Onisi Ratave is dubbed as the player to watch for the Fijian Drua in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition. Ratave has been hitting the headlines in New Zealand after his blockbusting performances for Bay of Plenty in the Bunnings National Provincial Championship. The 29-year-old was part of the extended Fiji 7s training...

Drua set-up

The Fijian Drua set-up will entice Fijian players playing in Europe to return and play in a professional competition which is closer to home. The Fijian Drua is set to sail next year competing in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. Former Fiji captain and Fiji Rugby general manager high performance Simon Raiwalui said what the...

FRU offer to extend Baber’s 7s contract

The Fiji Rugby Union has offered to extend Fiji 7s head coach Gareth Baber’s contract for another three years. Union chief executive officer John O’Connor said the board had endorsed the Welshman’s contract to be extended until the 2024 Paris Olympics, however, pending Baber’s consent. “The FRU board has endorsed an extension of Gareth’s contract...

Springboks vow to play to their DNA against All Blacks

The Springboks are promising to return to their methodical game against the All Blacks, believing they have strayed away from their “soul” in their two losses to the Wallabies. South Africa and New Zealand meet for the 100th time in the Rugby Championship test in Townsville on Saturday. Heavily criticised for a boring but successful...

Deal for 20 – Drua squad to camp in Australia from November 1

The Fijian Drua Super Rugby franchise has signed up 20 players out of its targeted 37-member squad for the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition. This was revealed on Monday after the announcement of its first five pioneers in Fiji’s first attempt at the annual international rugby tournament. The five are Olympics gold medallist Napolioni Bolaca,...

Raiwalui rates Nagusa to play big role

Former Fijian 7s and Fiji Warriors captain Nemani Nagusa will form an integral part of the leadership group for the Fijian Drua in the Super Rugby Pacific competition. Nagusa is one of the five players named by Fiji Rugby, who has signed up for the Fijian Drua for next year’s competition. The 33-year-old comes in...

Rugby

7s pathway: Fijian Drua to look at abbreviated code