The Fiji Times

Chiefs wary – McMillan: We’re under no illusions

Chiefs coach Cameron McMillan says they are under no illusions of the challenge they face in the last round of the Super Rugby Pacific campaign against a Fijian Drua side playing in front of its home crowd tomorrow. The franchise team, with players from the Waikato region in New Zealand, touched down yesterday at the...

Habosi: I play for my parents

Robust Swire Shipping Fijian Drua winger Vinaya Habosi has one thing on his mind whenever he runs out on to the field and that is to make his parents proud. The in-form winger, who has taken the Super Rugby Pacific competition by storm, will play against the Chiefs at Churchill Park in Lautoka tomorrow. Speaking...

Family eager to watch ‘Gus’ play

When Pita Gus Nacagilevu Sowakula runs out for the Chiefs on to Churchill Park against the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua tomorrow, he will have his family behind him to cheer him on. Waiting for his arrival at the Nadi International Airport yesterday, his mother Anaseini Sowakula and aunt Lavenia Adikovea prepared garlands for the Chiefs...

Drua names best 15 against Chiefs

Swire Shipping Fijian Drua head coach Mick Byrne has named a powerful line-up for the side’s final 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition match against Pita Gus Sowakula’s Chiefs on Saturday at Churchill Park in Lautoka. Byrne has opted for Haereiti Hetet at loosehead prop, Zuriel Togiatama at hooker and Kaliopasi Uluilakeba at tighthead prop as...

Team’s loss is Benetton’s gain as Ratave inks deal

Swire Shipping Fijian Drua winger Onisi Ratave will play his last match for the local Super Rugby side tomorrow. The 30-year-old has signed a two-year deal with Italy-based club Benetton effective from July 1, 2022 through to June 30, 2024. Ratave lit up the National Provincial Championship in New Zealand last year for the Bay...

High hopes for Fiji 7s

Hopes are high that the Fiji 7s team can jump to the head of the World Rugby Sevens Series standings if it retains this weekend’s London Sevens title. The 2019 champion has a new coach in England’s former skipper Ben Gollings, who will try and deny his countrymen their own piece of sevens glory and...

Claudius triumphs at MBHS athletics meet

CLAUDIUS House, after almost a decade, regained the Marist Brothers High School athletics inter-house title yesterday. Claudius won 13 gold medals, 11 silver and 12 bronze medals for a top spot overall of 36 medals. Alphonsus House settled with 11 gold, 8 silver, 10 bronze medals for 29 tally on second spot. Augustine House finished...

Eastern two unbeaten

The Police Sharks and Navy Albatross remain unbeaten after four rounds of the Suva Zone Eastern State Rugby League Club competitions. The Sharks lead the standings with 12 after recording four wins from as many games while the Albatross has nine points after having played three matches. Last Saturday, the Sharks accounted for Topline Warriors...

Naiova sets Escott dream, aims for a win

Mosese Naiova has a wish to achieve before sunset today. The 32-year-old Police Blue 15s rugby captain wants to lead his side into next week’s final of the Suva Rugby Union Digicel Escott Shield by beating Covenant Brothers in the semi-finals at Buckhurst Ground, Laucala Bay, Suva this afternoon. Police Blue meets Covenant Brothers while...

Drua promotion winner excited about tomorrow’s Super Rugby match

An elated Jone Nalibu of Nadi is the lucky winner of The Fiji Times Drua promotion for tomorrow’s Chiefs versus Drua match in Churchill Park, Lautoka. After receiving the $95 ticket, Mr Nalibu said he was extremely happy to have been able to attend tomorrow’s Super Rugby game. “I’m very happy and very excited and I want to...

2022 Digicel Fiji FACT: Suva through to semis

Defending champions of the 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT have booked a spot in the semi-finals next week after a controversial 1-nil win over Tailevu Naitasiri at Lawaqa Park today. Both teams were locked nil-all at halftime. Referee Deepak Raj awarded a penalty to Suva in the 75th minute for an alleged handball by Tailevu Naitasiri’s...

Good Samaritans help Navua

Some good Samaritans turned up in time to help the Navua football side reach Lawaqa Park in time for their first match of day two at the 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT yesterday. The Koromakawa bus that the Navua side was travelling in had a puncture at Korovisilou Village in Serua. The team was rushing to...

Host records draw in first match

Host Nadroga started its 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT campaign with a 1-all draw against Tailevu Naitasiri at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka last night. The Stallions were on a bye in the first round and came out of the blocks strongly in front of its home fans. Zoeb Rahim, 18, opened the scoring for Nadroga with...

Duo to get a chance to play against countrymen

Fijians, Pita Gus Sowakula and Emoni Narawa will both get a chance to play for the Chiefs in their homecoming match against the Fijian Drua at Churchill Park in Lautoka tomorrow. Sowakula, who was born in Lautoka, and Emoni Narawa also born in Fiji, have been named by Gallagher Chiefs head coach Clayton McMillan in...

Defending champs thumps Nasinu

Defending champion Suva has all but secured a spot in the semi-finals of the 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT after securing two wins in as many matches so far. The Babz Khan-coached side thumped Nasinu 3-nil in their second match yesterday. They had defeated Ba 1-nil in their earlier match last Sunday. Suva started the match...

Navua holds Rewa

The Navua football side defied all odds and held a much stronger Rewa side to a 1-all draw in the first match of round two of the 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT at Lawaqa Park yesterday. Both goals came in the first spell of the match. Rewa captain Setareki Hughes opened the scoring from an Ivan...

Minors head for upsets in secondary schools finals

Fiji secondary schools athletics minors Nakasi High and Davuilevu Methodist High School will compete in the coming Coca-Cola Games for many reasons. Foremost is the grooming, developing and exposing of their young athletes in the annual national event which will take place from August 4-6 at the ANZ Stadium in Suva. Nakasi High School principal...

Raivono eyes athletics fame

While Fijian boys and girls are being influenced by the success of rugby union in the Tokyo Olympics, the Super W and Super Rugby Pacific competitions, a Lekutu, Bua lass is looking at other options to gain success in sports. Welcome Latileta Raivono, 13, of Nakasi High School. In her first inter-schools athletics competition at...

World cup Vodafone Fiji Bati jersey launch

The President, Ratu Wiliame Katonivere officially launched the Vodafone Fiji Bati jersey for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup at the Grand Pacific Hotel in Suva last night. The home and away jerseys were designed by official suppliers Legends Sportswear, who were represented by their global ambassador Sir Gordon Tietjens. The Rugby League World Cup...

Fiji Bati extended squad to RLWC named

Fiji Bati head coach Jo Rabele has announced a 50-member extended squad of experienced and young players for the 2022 Rugby League World to be held in England in October. Extended squad: Apisai Koroisau, Joe Lovodua, Penioni Tagituimua, Tariq Sims, Viliame Kikau, King Vuniayawa, Lamar Manueli Liolevave, Jacob and Daniel Saifiti, Korbin and Tariq Sims, ...

Drua course – Mataiciwa wants to beat Chiefs at home

The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua is aiming to end the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season on a high note with a win against the Chiefs in Lautoka on Saturday. This will create a positive mindset for next year’s competition in the Super Rugby Pacific fixtures. The Fijian Drua team has won two out of their...

Suva eyes semi-finals

Suva, the defending champion of the 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT, is not taking any teams lightly heading into the tournament proper which resumes at Sigatoka’s Lawaqa Park today. The Capital City side edged Ba 1-nil through a Simione Nabenu goal in the first round last Sunday. Coach Babz Khan said they would be cautious. “We...

Rarasea calls for support

Swire Shipping Fijian Drua lock Viliame Rarasea expects the Western fans to fill up Churchill Park for the final match of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition against the Chiefs this Saturday. The Fijian Drua first home game at the ANZ Stadium against the Highlanders in Suva last month attracted more than 15,000 spectators. Rarasea...

Byrne wants the Drua to drown the Chiefs

The head coach of the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua Mick Byrne is looking forward to an improved performance from his band of warriors after being skinned by the Crusaders 3-61 last week at Christchurch’s Orangetheory Stadium when the side clashes with Pita Gus Sowakula’s Chiefs on Saturday at Churchill Park in Lautoka. Byrne said the...

Schools visit excite Nadi children

Members of the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua team took time out from their training schedule to conduct community programs yesterday. Hooker Zuriel Togiatama, halfback Peni Matawalu and Selestino Ravutaumada visited Namaka Public School to engage with the Get Into Rugby (GIR) PLUS clinic with the students. Team Up which is the Australian government’s sport for...

2022 Digicel Fiji FACT: Suva thumps Nasinu

The Suva football side thumped Nasinu 3-nil at the 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT in Sigatoka today. A Malakai Rakula strike saw the whites leading 1-nil at halftime. Samuela Drudru and Waisea Navunigasau added second half goals in the impressive win.

Home advantage for Fijian Drua

The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua has acclimatised well to the hot conditions in the country. The side arrived in the country last Saturday following the match against Crusaders the previous day. Hooker Tevita Ikanivere said the weather change should play to their advantage because they had been in the country longer than the Chiefs who...

Breaking barriers – Language difficulties fail to stop Chiefs’ Fijian talisman

Pita Gus Nacagilevu Sowakula has been a standout player for the Chiefs this season. He is no doubt an integral part of the team. Starting out his career in the Land of the Long White Cloud was certainly not easy and Sowakula shared how he struggled throughout the journey. “I started my rugby in New...

2022 Digicel Fiji FACT: Suva leads Nasinu at half-time

The Suva football side leads Nasinu 1-nil at halftime in the second match of the day at the 2022 Digicel Fiji FACT at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. Malakai Rakula scored the lone goal in the 19th minute. Second half begins shortly.

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