Boost for Fijians

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2019 World Rugby Pacific combine player Frank Lomani. Picture: FT FILE/JOVESA NAISUA

FOURTEEN Fiji Warriors players have been selected into the World Rugby Pacific Combine team.

The team will assist local players secure overseas contracts in 2019.

After a successful round of the World Rugby Pacific Challenge Cup that ended over the weekend, the general manager of the High Performance World Rugby Peter Horne and Pacific Combine team head coach Chris Hickey selected 14 Fijian players from 26 names.

Horne said the idea was to create an opportunity or a pathway for local players who aren’t recognised with unique talents by international clubs, so it is our duty to develop and expose them,” Horne said.

“Pacific Combine will try to identify Pacific talents and try and get them to overseas competitions. We’ve got six competitions such as Super Rugby, Mitre 10 etc, and our goal is to transform them to be professional players.”

Hickey said the program had been proven to be successful on some Pacific Islands players which included Fiji Warriors captain Frank Lomani.

“We want the players to get exposed in professional rugby.

“We are working on identifying players who are able to move through and become professional,” said Hickey.

Eroni Mawi, Mesulame Dolokoto, Luke Tagi, Ratu Turagaca, John Dyer, Caleb Muntz, Tira Patterson, Enele Malele, Veramu Dikidikilati, Ratu Osea, Vere Vugakoto, Livai Natave, Simione Kuruvoli, and Lomani are named in the World Rugby Pacific Combine Program.

It owns the Pacific Combine team.

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