Silktails celebrate World Cup selections
Four Kaiviti Silktails are celebrating after been named in the 24man Fiji Bati squad for the Rugby League World Cup starting on October 15.
Up against the might of NRL and Super League clubs, four players who started their careers as Silktails players in the NSWRL’s Ron Massey Cup are now at international level.
The four are front rowerlock Jowasa Drodrolagi, centre Pio Seci, hooker-halfback Penioni Tagituimu, and wing-centre Vuate Karawalevu.
Seci and Tagituimu have already played seven Tests for Fiji between them, but Drodrolagi and Karawalevu are on debut.
“It’s a proud moment for our club to see four of our former players named for the World Cup,” Silktails executive director Steve Driscoll said.
“All of them have taken different paths to get to this point, back from their earlier days playing junior club and secondary school football in Fiji.
“When something like this happens it’s always a nice moment for those who have watched and guided them along their respective jerseys. As a club we’re especially happy for their families because we know there have been sacrifices.”
The Silktails played both the 2021 season (until COVID cancelled the competition in July) and 2022 seasons while based in Sydney, leaving behind partners, children and parents.
A Kaiviti Silktails 2020 foundation member Drodrolagi moved to France to play Rugby League later that year after the Australian competitions shut down.
Seci has played Tests for Fiji (three) previously and was a Silktail in 2021.
He also played in France then returned to Australia to sign with the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, played with the Blacktown Workers in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.
In Round 20, Seci was the first Silktails player to make his NRL playing wing against Roosters.
Tagituimu, a 2020 foundation player also, was Silktails captain 2021.
He trained with the North Sydney Bears in NSW Cup side that season, before moving to the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs in 2022, where he played in their NSW Cup feeder team Mounties.
Karawalevu made his debut in the 2021 Silktails squad at the age of 18; playing both in the Ron Massey Cup and Jersey Flegg picking up the Silktails ‘Rising Star’ award.
Karawalevu scored seven tries in six games for the Bears, he’s as just devastating for the tricolours with 13 tries in 15 games.
A former Fiji Rugby Union U23s squad member, Karawalevu is now a fulltime member of the Sydney Roosters NRL squad after only two seasons in Rugby League.
When something like this happens it’s always a nice moment for those who have watched and guided them along their respective jerseys. Steve Driscoll Executive director, Silktails