Fijian Latui

Fijian Latui
Union	Fiji Rugby Union
Founded	2019; 5 years ago
Ground(s)	ANZ Stadium; Cakobau Park; Churchill Park;
Coach(es)	Senirusi Seruvakula
League(s)	Global Rapid Rugby
Union website
	www.fijirugby.com

The Fijian Latui is a professional rugby union team based in Suva that plays in the Global Rapid Rugby competition.^[1]

Officially launched in March 2019, the Latui played four Pacific Showcase matches during May and June 2019,^[2] before joining the inaugural Global Rapid Rugby tournament in 2020.^[3]

It was originally expected that the team would compete in 2019 for Rapid Rugby's A$1 million first prize,^[4] but the tournament launch was postponed for a year due to the shortened time frame following World Rugby approval in November 2018.^[5] The Showcase Series was arranged for 2019 instead.^[6]

Name

Latui, in Fijian, refers to the Fiji goshawk, a small hawk found in that country.^[1] The Latui can hunt its prey with either a stealthy glide or a rapid flapping attack.^[1]

Squad

The Latui team is drawn mainly from players based locally in Fiji.^[1] The squad for the 2020 season is:

Fijian Latui – 2020 Global Rapid Rugby

Hooker Tevita Ikanivere Ratunaisa Navuma Manoa Mocelutu Prop Livai Natave Joeli Veitayaki Jr. Penijamini Makutu Jone Koroi Mateo Qolisese Timoci Sauvoli Lock Sailasa Kerekere Soro Tuifagalele Peni Naruma^[A] Chris Minimbi Epeli Radaniva Backrow Elia Canakaivata Eremasi Radrodro Filimoni Seru Kelepi Naimasi^[A] Raikabula Momoedonu	Scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli Aminiasi Natoga Leone Nawai Fly-half Jone Manu Caleb Muntz Teti Tela ^[A] Centre Cyril Reece Asaeli Tikoirotuma ^[A] John Stewart Apisalome Vota Seru Vularika (c) Wing Epeli Momo Lepani Raiyala ^[A] Nacanieli Narequva Jiuta Wainiqolo Fullback Meli Nakarawa Osea Waqa Enele Malele ^[A]
Notes: The initial 33-man squad was named in February 2020.^[7] Players joining in subsequent rounds were: ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Naruma, Naimasi, Tela, Tikoirotuma , Raiyala and Malele (Rd 1).^[8]
Bold denotes player is internationally capped. (c) Denotes team captain. ¹ denotes marquee player.