THE Swire Shipping Fijian Drua has added two new players to its Super Rugby Pacific roster with the inclusion of Flying Fijians prop Mesake Doge and 2020 Tokyo Olympics gold medallist Iosefo Masi.
Both players have been signed up for the next two years and according to a press release by the club, chief executive officer Brian Thorburn said Doge and Masi would be important additions to the club.
“Mesake is a highly regarded international and his inclusion will greatly bolster our tight-head stocks,” said Thorburn.
“Our young forwards will also benefit enormously from his wealth of experience in European club rugby.
“Alongside Mesake, our fans will of course remember Iosefo Masi for his exploits in 7s. He joins the Drua as an outside back, giving us further options in attack. It is very exciting for our club to have both these players joining our vuvale.”
The 29-year-old Mesake Doge has been capped eight times for the Flying Fijians and he joins the Drua from Welsh club Dragons where he spent the past two seasons playing in the United Rugby Championship.
He had previously played for the Timisoara Saracens in Romania, making 27 appearances, as well as Brive in the French Top 14 where he played 24 matches.
Twenty-four-year-old Masi was part of the Olympic gold medal-winning 7s team in Tokyo in 2021.
He has since been part of the North Queensland Cowboys set-up in the National Rugby League in Australia and now makes a welcome return home.
Thorburn added that fans should look forward to watching their favourite Drua players in action as they plan to bring more home games into the country.
“What is even more thrilling is that these players, like the rest of our squad, will be displaying their brilliance right here at home as we look to bring at least five Super Rugby Pacific matches to Fiji in 2023.”
Doge is already taking part in the Drua’s preseason training program, while Masi will join after completing his current engagement with the Fiji Airways Fiji 7s set-up.
