THE journey to the 2031 Rugby World Cup began last Friday when the Fiji Rugby Union named its 30-member national Under-20 squad for the World Rugby U20 Championship in Georgia.
The squad announcement marks another crucial step in Fiji Rugby’s long-term high-performance strategy, with the union placing heavy emphasis on building the next generation of Test rugby.
Fiji Rugby Union’s general manager high performance, Nacanieli Cawanibuka, said the Under-20 programme remained a vital piece of Fiji’s future.
“These young men are definitely on their pathway now and God willing will form that core of the team to the 2031 Rugby World Cup,” Cawanibuka said.
“That is the importance of this U20 programme and the future that we are investing in lies heavily on the shoulders of these young men and the coaches who continue to contribute and help our team prepare.”
Head coach Tui Osborne said naming the final squad was not easy, given the quality and depth available throughout the system.
He said the selected players represented the best of Fiji’s development structures.
“The players have come from a variety of backgrounds — from our schools rugby competitions, provincial programmes, HP academies and also professional environments overseas.”
The squad includes players based in France, New Zealand and Australia, highlighting Fiji Rugby’s growing ability to identify and recruit talent beyond local borders.
