Fiji 7s star signs for Canberra Raiders

Fiji sevens star Masivesi Dakuwaqa has signed for the Canberra Raiders National Rugby League team until the end of the season.

The Olympic gold medalist played league in Fiji until 17 years of age, before switching to rugby union six years ago.

He debuted for the Fijian sevens side last season and was part of their gold medal winning team in Rio.

The 23 year old arrived in Canberra on Sunday and trained with his new teammates for the first time.

"There's so many good players here and I'm going to be able to learn a lot off them," he said.

Raiders Recruitment and High Performance Manager Peter Mulholland was excited at the talent and potential of Dakuwaqa.

"Masivesi played league until he was 17 like a lot of Fijian kids do. The game is not strange to him," he said.

"He's a gold medallist and plays on both sides of the park. He's a big unit and it makes obvious sense to have a look at him and see how he goes.

"His experience has been playing lock and second row as a kid, but he would also be lethal as an outside back. He could end up playing anywhere," Mulholland said.

Gareth Baber focused on current squad

Masivesi Dakuwaqa featured in four tournaments on the current World Sevens Series, in Dubai, Cape Town, Las Vegas and Vancouver.

Head coach Gareth Baber wished his former player well but said his focus was with the players who have committed to the Fiji sevens team.

"I've been a player myself and I understand opportunities come up and he's taken that opportunity at the moment," he said.

"But my job is to push on with the players that are here in Fiji - the players who are obviously eligible of play in sevens for Fiji - and my eyes are very much on making sure that we coach them to best ability we can and we create the right environment around them.

"So I wish him luck with it and I've got to really push on with the players that we've got now."

Jasa Veremalua and Jerry Tuwai were also linked with a switch to rugby league earlier this year but Gareth Baber said the pair have since signed contracts with the Fiji Rugby Union.

"They have contracts and there's no indication that they are going anywhere but I know that there's a threat to all players in Fiji," he said.

"Even players who are under contract there's always an existing threat and we're doing our level-best to keep developing the players that we've got and creating a system and a process around them so they want to learn and develop as Fijian players.

"That's what I want to do is keep them on the island but we're realistic about the threat that's out there as well but that's up to the players themselves and we'll be looking to make sure that the players that we've got we keep working with and they keep representing Fiji."

The Fiji sevens team is currently in France preparing for the penultimate round of the World Series this weekend.

Four debutants have been included in the squad for the final two legs in Paris and London: Josua Vakurinabuli, Samu Bale, Paula Dranisinukula and Glen Cakautini.

 

Photo: Canberra Raiders Masivesi Dakuwaqa training with the Canberra Raiders.