The Fijian Drua will field a team at the 2025 McDonald’s Fiji Coral Coast Sevens in January. The announcement was jointly made by the Drua and the tournament organisers in Sigatoka yesterday.

The Fiji Coral Coast Sevens is one of the country’s most popular tournaments, featuring the top local and visiting international teams.

The event’s popularity is further amplified by the presence of internationally renowned rugby personalities and names. In past seasons, the tournament was attended by legends like Waisale Serevi, late Jonah Lomu, Rasta Rasivhenge, George Gregan, Bryan Habana and Dan Norton, among others. These names have also been enshrined in Sigatoka’s ‘Rugby Town Walk of Fame’.

Drua head coach Glen Jackson said “The Coral Coast 7s is a wonderful tournament and its great for us to be able to field a good Drua team in the competition.

“Fans attending the tournament will recognise some of their favourite Drua players participating alongside members of our Drua development team who will be raring to give it a go.

It’s a chance to pit their skills, which is primarily in 15s rugby, against some of the most talented 7s players in the country.

“We’ll be there at tournament lending our support to this wonderful tournament, which exposes top rugby talents who then got to greater things in 7s and 15s rugby.”

Drua players who have played sevens rugby includes Iosefo Masi, Elia Canakaivata, Meli Derenalagi, Selestino Ravutaumada, Joseva Tamani, Vilive Miramira, Frank Lomani and the list goes on. Masi and Derenalagi were part of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games gold medal team while Canakaivata played alongside Masi when Fiji won the 2018 Sevens Rugby World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa.

Fiji Coral Coast Sevens organising committee chairman Jay Whyte said, “We are absolutely thrilled, honoured and humbled to welcome Fiji’s first professional rugby franchise the Drua to be a part of the premier sevens tournament in the southern hemisphere.

“A huge thanks go to Mark Evans who visited us during the 2024 tournament and was very receptive to our initial overture to have a Drua sevens team participate in the 2025 Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens. We also appreciate the support from newly appointed head coach Glen Jackson for allowing his squad to be a part of this history making chapter.

“The people of Fiji who absolutely love their Drua team as shown in the fact 55 per cent of the nation tune into watch them anytime, they are playing, this is the level of support they garner which is simply phenomenal.”

Whyte added “We look forward to seeing what our Drua boys can do going up against the best from Fiji and the world over the three days here in rugbytown.”

The Fiji Coral Coast Sevens takes place from January 16-18 at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.

Feedback: leonec@fijisun.com.fj