The Fiji Rugby Union is taking deliberate steps to grow its own coaching talent, with plans already in place to prepare local coaches for senior roles within the national setup.
Chief executive officer Koli Sewabu said the initiative was a key outcome discussed following the union’s annual general meeting at the Novotel Convention Centre last week.
While Fiji continues to thrive in the sevens arena, he admitted the 15s program is still developing when compared to top-tier rugby nations, making it vital to invest in local coaching depth.
“There’s already a plan in place. We’ve made some changes, but we understand that we need to build capacity and capability for our local coaches,” he said.
Part of that vision is creating clear specialist roles within the system. The CEO highlighted key areas where Fiji needs improvement in the 15s code.
“One thing we’ve changed, moving forward, is identifying the areas where we are lacking. Some of the major ones are scrummaging, lineout and maul, defence and kicking,” he said.
“What we will do is put a criteria in place for selection for those coaches, and when they come into the program there will be specialist roles — scrum coaches, lineout and maul coaches, and defence coaches.”
The union has already started that process, hosting a high-performance coaching development program in Nadi where a group of local coaches were identified and brought into the system.
They will also benefit from working alongside international experts and could be attached to overseas teams through future partnerships, giving them exposure to elite environments.
Sewabu pointed to the inclusion of Jerry Tuwai in the national sevens setup as an example of how experience and development can align, noting the Olympic gold medallist has been actively building his coaching credentials.
With the pathway now taking shape, the union believes it is only a matter of time before local coaches step into top roles.
“Hopefully in the next five to six years, we will see more local coaches heading programs within our national teams,” he said.
The move reflects a long-term strategy by the FRU to ensure Fiji’s future success is driven not only by its players, but also by qualified local coaches capable of leading at the highest level.
