DUAL rugby international Mesake Navugona says difference in the level of local competition in Papua New Guinea and Fiji contributed to the visitors’ victory in Sigatoka on Saturday.
This follows Papua New Guinea’s Lae Snax Tigers rugby league team’s demolition of the Nadi Aviators 44-4 at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.
The visitors tore the home side apart scoring seven tries to one.
It was another ruthless performance by the Papua New Guineans after the Agmak Gurias thrashed Nadi’s Sabeto Roosters 42-2 in the inaugural Melanesian Club Championship in Port Moresby last year.
Navugona said the result should be a wake-up call for the Fiji National Rugby League since rugby league was PNG’s national sport.
“Rugby league is not a full time sport in Fiji,” Navugona said.
“Players participate in rugby league when the season is on, but when the off-season comes, they turn to rugby union and start playing 7s. The signs are there of the need to lift the sport to another level in the country. It is red lights and something needs to be done urgently.”
Navugona represented Fiji in both rugby union and rugby league.
He was the Fiji Bati team manager for many years, including to the last Rugby League World Cup in Great Britain.
“A structured development program has to be in place and also an off-season training program. There is a lot of work to do.
“Local players vying for a spot in the Fiji Bati have to be realistic. They have very little chance of getting into the Fiji Bati team because the overseas-based players are participating in higher level competitions.
“In the last Fiji Bati team there were two local boys, but none of them played,” Navugona said.
