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Fiji NSW Cup Bid Team are proud to announce their new corporate partnership with LE Sports Wear
Pre-order a shirt for $45 AUD each by emailing LE Sports Wear at: sales@lesportswear.com
LE Sports Wear's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/livingedgesportswear
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Fiji Silktails return to NSW rugby league
http://www.nrl.com
Take two of the Fiji Kaiviti Silktails entrée into Australian rugby league is about to begin.
It's now been a seven-year wait for the talent of the Pacific island nation to show their wares.
There was a brief glimpse last year – in their supposed debut season last year in the Ron Massey Cup – when the Silktails soundly the Windsor Wolves 40-16 at Churchill Park in Lautoka in the opening round.
But then the COVID-19 pandemic shut down the NSWRL lower tier competitions for the rest of 2020.
Fast forward to the pending 2021 season and the Silktails are back. They have been in quarantine for the past fortnight in a Sydney CBD hotel and will emerge this week to take up residence in suburban Mascot.
The Silktails' chairman, 51-Test match veteran for both Australia and Fiji, Petero Civoniceva, said the journey had been long but would be worth it.
"It's been a great transition for the boys," Civoniceva told SEN Radio's Andrew Voss Breakfast Show on Tuesday.
"They get released [on Wednesday] so we're looking forward to getting them into some comfortable surroundings.
"Obviously due to COVID we'll be here for the entire season. But there's a lot of excitement, a lot of great energy. I'm really looking forward to the players getting involved in the Ron Massey Cup this year."
CEO Stephen Driscoll has been key in working alongside Civoniceva and the NSWRL to get the Silktails to Sydney and arrange their prolonged stay here.
That season kicks off on March 13 with a bye – to extend the Silktails' wait and anticipation a smidge further.
A squad of 35 players will be under the direction of coach Wes Naiqama, who played 14 Tests for Fiji along with more than 120 NRL games for the Dragons, Knights and Panthers.
"It's a real exciting opportunity to grow the game. In Fiji rugby union is seen as the premier code but in saying that the landscape is definitely starting to change," Civoniceva said.
"Those NRL Fijian stars like Api Korisau, Viliame Kikau and Waqa Blake have really started to inspire boys and girls to take up the game of rugby league.
"So we're seeing a real interest in what we're putting together here (with the Silktails). It's been a long road but I had the opportunity playing for Fiji at the 2013 World Cup to talk to a lot of the locals.
"And they told me the struggles in getting the opportunities to excel. Then the (PNG) Hunters came into the Queensland Cup (in 2014) and that was the catalyst in getting the Silktails concept up.
"So it's great to be finally here. These are the first stepping stones for us to grow the game because there's a huge future for league in Fiji."
There is also an emerging NRL future for Silktails players. Civoniceva said discussions were underway with a NRL club to forge that link with a Canterbury Cup and first-grade side.
"The dream is for some of these players to excel in the NRL. And we've actually got some exciting news coming up in a few weeks' time in becoming a feeder club for one of the NRL teams," he told SEN Radio.
Meantime, several of the Silktails players have been recording their daily quarantine diaries on the team's Facebook and Instagram social media platforms.
The rest of this week the players will resume field training sessions ahead of their first 2021 season 'home' game at Mascot Oval against the Blacktown Workers on Saturday March 20 at 3pm..
The Silktails receive funding and support under the 'PacificAus Sports' program run by the Australian Government and designed to expand partnerships with Pacific sports teams and organisations in netball, rugby union, football and rugby league.
https://silktailsmembership.com/memb...viti-silktails
For $75 AUD you can become a member of the Silktails. A "sulu" is like a skirt and is the national dress.
Membership Includes:
1 x Membership Bag
1 x Membership Cap
1 x 2021 Membership Lanyard
1 x 2021 Membership Sulu
1 x 2021 Membership Card
Access to all 2021 home games at Mascot Oval, Sydney in designated Membership Area
10% discount off all Kaiviti Silktails Merchandise
10% discount of all purchases made at The Fijian Collection at Liverpool
Exclusive Member Access to Specials from Kaiviti Silktails Corporate Partners
Exclusive Member Access to Kaiviti Silktails Captain's Run for Home Games
Exclusive Member Access to selected Kaiviti Silktails Official Functions & Events
Here is a link to their merch. The jersey looks amazing.
https://silktailsstore.com/
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ADF supports Fijian NRL dreams
https://news.defence.gov.au/service/...ian-nrl-dreams
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The chance for a contract with the NRL is just one of the spoils on offer for members of the Fijian Kaiviti Silktails rugby league team during their tour of Australia, with the ADF providing support.
The 28-man squad has set up home in Sydney to take part in the 2021 semi-professional Ron Massey Cup.
The Australian Defence Force Rugby League (ADFRL) is providing training and professional mentoring for the Fijian team while they are in Sydney.
During a training session at Victoria Barracks, president of the ADFRL Brigadier Dave Hafner said it was a great opportunity for the players to do some drills and fitness activities.
“We have a strong relationship with Fiji. We’ve seen that recently through the support the Fijian military gave to the bushfires here last year, and subsequently our support to Fiji in the aftermath of Cyclone Yasa,” he said.
“This program, along with the wider engagement throughout the Pacific islands nations, is a continuation of those activities – we have a strong bond through sport, and rugby league is popular in both countries.
Training carried out by the ADFRL in partnership with the NRL will focus on professional skill development and consolidation of the important relationship Australia has with Fiji.
Head coach of the Kaiviti Silktails, Wes Naiqama, said it was exciting for the team to be in Australia.
“Almost half the team have never been in an aeroplane before, let alone left Fiji – so that’s been a massive culture shock,” Mr Naiqama said.
“The boys showed a lot of promise during our first game against the Mascot Jets, last week. It was great preparation for our first competition game this weekend.
“We really appreciate the support from the ADF. We’ve trying to grow the game back home for not only the players but we’re also trying to upskill the coaches, sports trainers and referees as well.”
Members of the Fijian rugby league team, the Kaiviti Silktails take part in a training session at Victoria Barracks, Sydney. Photo: Leading Seaman Jayson Tufrey
The Silktails are partly funded and supported by the Australian Government under a Pacific sports program and will play their first home game on March 20.
Mr Naiqama said he was confident his squad would do well in the Ron Massey Cup competition.
“Hopefully some of the boys will come out of this competition being rewarded with an NRL contract – that would be absolutely fantastic," he said.
Following on from the training in Sydney, the ADFRL will carry out a week-long virtual training program with up to 95 members of the Fijian Military Forces and Fiji National Rugby league Officials from March 22–25.
The program will be run out of Kaiviti Silktails Centre of Excellence in Lautoka, Fiji, with instructors virtually delivering the program from Townsville and Sydney.