Carletta Yee

Seventeen-year-old Carletta Yee is one of eight new players in this season’s Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua women’s squad that’ll feature in the Super W competition.

Hailing from Lakeba in Lau, Yee’s journey into rugby was unexpected but has quickly become her passion.

It wasn’t until high school that she discovered her passion for the sport, a journey that quickly took her from training with the Striders women to earning a spot in the Fijiana Drua development squad this season.

In 2023, she captained the MGM under 18 team to the final and the Suva under-20 team to victory in the Marama trophy last year.

Drua original and dual international Vitalina Naikore, who was a breakout star for the Drua and the competition in 2022 is also back.

A powerful side has been announced including three Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalists Raijieli Daveua, Rusila Nagasau and Alowesi Nakoci.

Senior players like Vani Arei, Merewalesi Rokouono, Merewai Cumu and Sulita Waisega are in the rehab group, hoping to return at some point during the season, and joining them is 2024 breakout star Atelaite Buna.

For the first time ever, a Drua Women’s Development squad has been introduced to supplement and support the main squad, given the high number of injured key players.

This group is under a focused rehabilitation program aimed at preparing them for a return to Super Rugby W.

Head coach Ifereimi Rawaqa says this is a growth year for the squad as they continue to build depth and expose new and young players to top-level competition.

He adds that this is especially important for the national squad in a Rugby World Cup year.

Rawaqa says it’s wonderful to have players like Naikore return, as they are accustomed to high-performance environments and their guidance will be invaluable for the young squad.

He adds that given the unavailability of key players at the start of the season, the return of Naikore, Bitila Tawake and Kolora Lomani is a major boost.

Their first match is against the Waratahs on the 28th of next month at Allianz Stadium in Sydney at 5.05pm.

They have the Reds next and Brumbies at Churchill Park in Lautoka and their last game against Western Force on the 23rd of March.