Fiji must revamp its school rugby system, former Fiji U20 captain Durutalo says

Former Fiji U20 captain and HKFC Rugby director of operations Andrew Durutalo has called for a revamp of the country's school rugby system to better develop players for the national teams. Durutalo, who played for Fiji's U20 squad and Northland, believes the current system needs review to create more competitive matches for schoolboys.

According to Durutalo, players in New Zealand and South Africa play more matches during their school years, providing them with more opportunities to develop skills and experience the highs and lows of competition. Currently, Fiji schoolboys only play 12 games per season, which is less than half the number of competitive matches played by players in New Zealand and South Africa.

Durutalo suggests that extending the season and increasing the number of meaningful competitive games would significantly improve player development. He also praises the inclusion of rugby league in the secondary school competition, noting that it provides players with additional opportunities to play and refine their skills. By creating more opportunities for players to compete, Fiji can better benchmark itself against the world's top rugby nations and give young players a more comprehensive development pathway.