Not every opportunity comes with bright lights or loud crowds, but for the Fiji National Rugby League’s Rise Rookie Girls, the upcoming match against the Canada Ravens on August 27 is a quiet yet crucial moment in their journey.
Head coach Sevanaia Koroi shared in an interview with this newspaper that the team has been training hard every Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday for the past month.
After a trial match two weeks ago, the final squad was picked to take on the visiting national side.
“Canada is a national team. We are a development team with players mostly aged 18 to 23, many still at school or university. We have to match their fitness, defence and attack if we want to compete.”
The squad includes players from MGM High School, Ra High School, Sila Central High School and universities like Fiji National University (FNU) and the University of the South Pacific (USP).
Some players train individually with local coaches in Lautoka and Ra, but the full squad will come together for a training camp this weekend.
Koroi highlighted some challenges faced by the players.
“Some of these girls travel from home to school, then to training, and back again.
The match is more than just a game, it’s a chance for players to prove their worth for the Fiji Bulikula team, the national women’s rugby league team preparing for upcoming IRL Women’s World Series, a major qualifying tournament for the 2026 Women’s Rugby League World Cup, to be held in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
“This is their chance to prove themselves and take a step closer to the Bulikula.”
The Canada Ravens will play the Rise Rookie Girls on August 27, then face the Fiji Bulikula Residents on August 30, both at Churchill Park in Lautoka