Waisea Nayacalevu score two tries

Waisea Nayacalevu continues to grow his rugby in France scoring two tries against Nalaga's Claremont. Nayacalevu joined Stade Francais after making a name for himself in the IRB rugby sevens series.

Unfortunately champion team Claremont won the game 28 - 25 with a last minute drop goal from Brock James. Despite being down 22-10 at the interval and rocked by 3 tries including Nayacalevus, Claremont fought back to win the match and remain unbeaten at home for almost 3 years.

Fiji European tour - More Local Players?

The Fiji Rugby team is scheduled to tour Europe at the end of this year with three internationals and one confirmed midweek game against Gloucester on November 13 at Kingsholm. There is no official release but there seems to be word that the team will be 70% local players.


Opinions vary but many say that this is suicidal considering most of Fiji's talented players move overseas as soon as they are able to. However, Fiji's performance at the last World cup was abysmal despite a great majority of players being overseas based.

Have your say on the issue. Should we have a limit only 30% overseas based players for the team? Comment below.

This is the schedule for the international games.

 Date                              Against           Venue

10 November 2012	England		Twickenham
17 November 2012	Ireland		Thomond Park
24 November 2012	Georgia		Tbilisi

2012 Gold Coast Sevens Draws Released

The Gold Coast Sevens draws for 2012/2013 IRB sevens series has been announced. Fiji is pooled with Australia.Scotland and Tonga with tournament kicking off on October 13th. Fiji won the inaugural tournament in 2011 under Etuate Waqa who has now signed up for Tonga.

Alivereti Dere remains as coach and we look forward to the announcement of the Fiji sevens squad. Alivereti Dere had announced that he would be changing players around during different legs of the series.

The draws for Gold Coast:

Eddie Waqa Goes to Tonga

From the Fiji Sun
By VUNIWAQA BOLA

 Digicel Fiji 7s assistant coach, Etuate Waqa has been appointed as the Tonga Rugby Union new director of sevens rugby.

And the man who steered Fiji to winning the inaugural Gold Coast 7s last year will spearhead Tonga’s campaign in the series and Rugby World Cup Sevens in Moscow next year. This was announced in the Island Kingdom yesterday by Tonga Rugby president/board chairman Epi Taione – a former Ikale Tahi himself.The former dual international will try to help Tonga wins a spot in the full HSBC Sevens World Series.

Former Fiji journalist and Ko’e Ita publisher Iliesa Tora says the position given to Waqa would see him direct the men’s, women’s and other programmes dealing with 7s rugby in the Friendly Isles.

“Eddie will be assisted by former Tongan national sevens team captain Tevita Tuifua, who is based in Auckland,”Tora said. “Tuifua was also an Ikale Tahi and Mate Ma’a Tonga rep (rugby league).“They will take charge of the team from next week and prepare the side for the Gold Coast 7s.”

Tonga has qualified for the Gold Coast, Wellington and Hong Kong 7s tournaments and the Rugby World Cup Sevens next year. Tonga Rugby is counting their lucky stars as they appoint Waqa to join them and to share with them his vast rugby experience and knowledge.

Verenika Goneva 2 tries for Leicester

Vereniki Goneva scored again this weekend to make 2 tries from two games for Leicester in the Aviva Premiership 2012/2013.

This is the highlights from previous weekend game and Goneva's try is at 1:30

Tasman and Tevita Cavubati

The food bill must have been horrendous in the Cavubati household back in Nadroga.

The Tasman Rugby Union and Waimea Old Boys' new Fijian lock signing, Tevita Cavubati, is one of 11 brothers and the youngest sibling of former Wellington prop 'Big Bill' Cavubati, who played 38 tests for Fiji between 1995 and 2005.

But where the massive 165kg former Wellington tighthead grew sideways, 24-year-old Tevita grew upwards and now the 1.98 metre, 120kg lock is anticipating his latest assignment in the heart of Tasman's ITM Cup forward pack. He certainly helps to provide the size element Tasman has been lacking, and after 12 appearances of his own for Fiji, including two tests, is also starting to harness some experience on the international scene.

He's not new to New Zealand rugby, having played in Taranaki in 2008 and 2010 as a member of the Spotswood United club. And although he never quite managed to break into Taranaki's ITM Cup lineup due to the presence of established Taranaki locks Jason Eaton, Craig Clarke and James Broadhurst, he did represent Taranaki at both sevens and development team level.

He even caught New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens' eye at the national sevens tournament in Queenstown in 2008, although Cavubati felt then that his long-term future lay with the Fijian test team. He's still young in international locking terms and although he just missed selection in last year's Fiji Rugby World Cup squad, is now hoping to establish himself in Fiji's 2012 squad under new coach and former test No8 Inoke Male.

That means playing regular high-quality rugby, which Cavubati reckons New Zealand's provincial ITM Cup competition will help him achieve. Tasman just happened to fall nicely into the mix.

From Fairfax news.

Saimoni Vaka - Agen (France)

Born in Fiji and played Rugby for Suva Grammar School from 2003 - 2006 Saimoni Vaka moved to France in 2006 and played for Agen from 2008. He bacame the top try scorer in 2010-2011 season.

He still plays for SU Agen.Rugby club. Their latest game they were walloped by Toulouse 62 - 13.

Full name Saimoni Vaka

Born June 2, 1987

Current age 25 years 98 days

Major teams Agen

                                       Position Wing

                                       Height 1.80 m

                                       Weight 82 kg

Virimi Vakatawa devastating for Racing Metro - France

Watching him play you'd be forgiven if you thought it was Rupeni Cuacau. He breaks tackle and steps of both feet at speed. That's how good Virimi Vakatawa is at number 14 for Racing Metro in France. Virimi was approached to play for Fiji at the last Junior Rugby world cup but he declined. Is he trying to dorn the French International jersey? I guess we'll have to wait and see. Watch him score a try and break tackles in this video.

 

Maritino Nemani first lineup for Magpies

Maritino Nemani is back for the Magpies at winger after his debut for the Chiefs at the 2012 Rugby Championship. The Chiefs won the cup but Nemani didn't have much game time with Fijian counterpart Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Lelia Masaga and Declan O'Donnell as first choice. His debut was also marred by the three week suspension for a tip tackle on Ranger in their game against the Blues. Despite this Maritino is a star player and has been on the starting lineup for the Magpies in the 2012 ITM cup. Watch this space. That tip tackle video:

Kenatale understudy for Jimmy Cowan

Nemia Kenatale (halfback)

This 26-year-old has been part of the Fijian squad since 2008 and has linked with the Stags to provide depth in the halfback position. He came on for Cowan who has been first choice for the Stags. He was denied a try agains Wellington when he came on for Cowan, which I am sure would have been awarded if the Third referee was asked. This is Kentale's profile: Player Details Position Halfback Born 21/01/1986 in Fiji Height 1.73m Weight 90kg Province Southland Test Caps 8 Test Debut 2008 (Fiji) v Japan

Save Tokula back in New Zealand

Fijian Save Tokula is featuring for the Chiefs in the ITM cup 2012 at center. Save has just returned from Northern Hemisphere playing for Munster. His contract there was only till the end of the season as Munster have already signed up Casey Laulala. Save was born in Fiji and below is his profile.

Height 1.92m Weight 97kg DOB 15 June 1985 Place Fiji Education Hamilton Boys High School Club Fraser Tech Age-group teams/other representative teams: Fiji Secondary Schools Fiji U18 Waikato Secondary Schools Northern Region Secondary Schools New Zealand Sevens

Manawatu beat Northland to come back on form

Manawatu beat Northland after massive losses in the first few games. Watch Tomasi Cama set up a try with a well placed kick.