Tighthead vacancy contact Tabua

Fiji Times - Friday, May 09, 2008 8:12 AM

FIJI head coach Ilivasi Tabua has continued his hunt to identify the tighthead props he wants as the build-up to the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand gains momentum.

Since the amateur era of the ovalball game Fiji rugby's achilles heel hadbeen the tight-five area but over the years this narrowed down to the front row, in particular the tighthead prop position.

At the 2007 Rugby World Cup, 12 years after the advent of professionalism, Fiji team officials were still hunting for the right man to handle the specialist position.

Tabua used Jone Railomo and Henry Qiodravu alternately during the 2007 RWC pool games and the duo rose to the ocassion with solid performances although both are natural looseheads.

Now Tabua is looking long term.

RWC pundits, while impressed with the performance of Fiji in France, pointed out that scrums and the props were the achilles heels of the side.

"If there is a weakness in the Islanders' game, it is that their forwards don't like doing the hard work and making the hard yards and they have problems holding their scrum. They would all prefer to hang around and wait for the chance to run the ball," an expert was quoted as saying.

Players who are part of the Air Pacific Fiji Barbarians and the Warriors are being monitored by Tabua and his selectors.

The hunt for the right person to fill the role has seen them keeping tabs on Fiji under-20 players as well. Tabua does not want to lose his gems after the Junior World Cup next month.

"There are certain positions which we are looking at and tighthead has been a weak area in the past," Tabua said.

"We want to change that and while there are a number of guys playing well at the moment we need to nuture depth for the future."

There are a number of players already identified and Tabua wants to get them into the system as of now.

"As individual performers there's potential and they are young," he said.

"We still have time but we must get them into the system now and start preparing them so they mature by 2011."

With the likes of France-based Gabriel Lovobalavu (injured) and Leicester Tigers back Seru Rabeni (suspended), there are headaches for Tabua in the backline. He will put together a squad for the Pacific nations Cup in July.

So the Warriors and Babas have a chance to put their hands up and the next two rounds of the PRC will be crucial.

Tabua said while the Barbarians and Warriors have not been performing up to par, there were a number of players who had been impressive.

"You cannot put the players down and just overlook them just because the team has not done well," Tabua said.

"There are a number of players who have put their hands up, gave it their best shot.I have been looking at them closely."