Development Unit Conducts Skill Training for U18 Girl

The Fiji Rugby Union’s Development Unit conducted a Skill Training for the U18 school girls last Saturday.

FRU development unit conducted the first ever skills clinic for the U18 girls in the Suva-Nausori area last Saturday at LDS College school ground. After a positive turn out and enthusiasm from the girls, plans are underway to hold another one during the school holidays next week.

The 28 girls from different high schools that attended were taught the:-

• Basic passing (lateral)
• Ball handling
• Picking up the ball
• Basic tackle demonstration
• Basic contact demonstration

Development Officer Alivereti Mocelutu was impressed with the interest shown by the girls and their eagerness to learn.

“This is an education process for these passionate girls,” he said. “Last Saturday we started with just trying to teach them the basic and the next one we will add pressure.”

These girls are the products of Get Into Rugby Programme which was used to introduce rugby to new girls. One of the major area of focus for World Rugby is to increase women’s participation in rugby. Though Fiji has a very strong rugby culture, it is still a big challenge when it comes to women’s involvement in the sport whether as a player or match officials.

With that in mind FRU are using different methods possible to break the barriers to help achieve the target. The inclusion of Fijiana 7s team in the World Rugby Womens World Series, rugby as an Olympic Sport and now the invitation for the U18 to participate in the Youth Commonwealth games has seen a steady increase from the girls to try out rugby.

All the girls that attended the clinics will take part in a trials to select the training squad for the Youth Commonwealth games. Invitation is open to all girls if they would like to try.

Women’s development Officer Vela Naucukidi confirmed they will also include girls from the west like Jasper Williams High School and Tavua College who have been training as well.

“We are planning to have one clinic too at the west before the trials, the date will be confirmed before the end of this week,” Ms Naucukidi said.

Meanwhile, the Fiji Secondary School girls 7s series kicks off on 13^th of June in the West for U19 and 17 grades. The second leg will be on the 20^th at the west too and moved to Suva on the 27^th and the final tournament at the North on the 4^th of July.