Mataiasi Stark 
Fijian Under-20 rugby coach Senirusi Seruvakula is preparing his squad for the Oceania Rugby Under-20s Challenge, set to take place in Auckland this March.
As part of his development-focused approach, Seruvakula is not only looking at players who represented Fiji in the U20 World Cup last year but is also bringing in a new generation of talent to groom for the future.
While five members of last year’s U20 World Cup squad are currently training in Suva and Nadi, Seruvakula made it clear that their previous participation does not guarantee them a spot in this year’s team.
“Doesn’t mean that they’ll make the cut again because I want to groom a lot of young players. That’s my target.”
He is placing special emphasis on developing younger athletes, some of whom competed in the under-18 grade during last year’s Dean’s competition.
This early exposure to a higher level of play, he believes, is critical to building a strong pipeline for Fijian rugby.
Seruvakula also highlighted the role of the Fiji Rugby Academy in nurturing this emerging talent. Many of the young players in the current U20 squad have already been integrated into the academy program following two test matches against Australia schoolboys last year.
With a mix of experienced and emerging players, the coach is confident in his team’s potential.
