Sport: Kaiviti Silktails rugby league team adapting to Covid-19 challenge

The Kaiviti Silktails rugby league team are taking all precautionary measures necessary to ensure player safety against Covid-19.

The Fijian-based team made their debut in the Ron Massey Cup on Saturday, beating the Windsor Wolves 40-16 in Lautoka and were scheduled to host the Glebe-Burwood Wolves in round two this weekend.

But the squad have now been released for three weeks after the New South Wales Rugby League Board suspended all major competitions until 31 May in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

Kaiviti Silktails Chairman Petero Civoniceva said the suspension was disappointing but necessary for the health and safety of everyone involved.

"We had such a wonderful pre-season and to think we started the season off with a wonderful win but, look, everyone acknowledges that this is such a unique time in our history and every human being is impacted across the globe," he said.

"We're realists and understand that this is an important step to suspend the competition and so that in country our health resources aren't overburdened and we have to play our part in that."

Although the Silktails have been based in Lautoka, Civoniceva said the club are following the NSWRL recommendations announced, which includes a suspension to all rugby league matches, trials, training, courses and other club activities.

"The New South Wales Rugby League have indicated that the competition could resume in another 11 weeks time so within that time-frame we will release our players but then bring them back in if obviously we're allowed to resume training," he said.

"It is a little bit different there [in Fiji] but to maintain the welfare and the health and well-being of our players, we'll just follow the advice that we're taking from Australia to get the boys training individually and bring them back in again when we have the all clear."

The former Fiji Bati flyer returned to Australia on Sunday and said communication has been key for both players and staff.

"We've given them all individual training programmes which they have to continue on doing and then we're reporting and communicating to our players on a daily basis so that we ensure that physically and mentally they're engaged and focused while also playing their part in their communities and villages."

Civoniceva said the Kaiviti Silktails are still working towards a return to action on 31 May but accept things can change quickly.

"Hopefully across the world we're going to see improvements and the control of this virus," he said. "If that's not the case and if the season is suspended all together I think we all understand that that's just part of what we have to do in terms of maintaining good health within our communities."

Competition debut a momentous occasion

Winger Vereti Peceli scored the Silktails' maiden try two minutes into their Ron Massey Cup debut at Churchill Park before the home side conceded three tries in 11 minutes to find themselves trailing 16-6 just before the half-hour mark.

Hooker Penioni Tagituimua crossed twice in ten minutes to level the scores at 16-all at half-time, before Rupeni Naikawakawa (twice), Apimeleki Lutuimawi and Ratu Timoci Namotukola all found the try line in the second spell to ensure the home side ran out comfortable winners on the scoreboard.

"It was an amazing experience and obviously a lot of work has gone into that moment of when they boys ran out onto the field, six years to be precise," reflected Civoniceva.

"Six years of just working and lobbying in the background for myself and my team and it was so exciting."

He said the last six months have been a mad scramble to set up their new facility, the Kaiviti Silktails Centre of Excellence, which includes a gymnasium, team residence and offices.

"We've got a gymnasium which would rival any other gym in Sydney or New Zealand," he said. "It's a wonderful facility and we've put some elite gym equipment in there. For some of the boys, to have a gym of their own, it was something they'd never experienced in their lives. "

Civoniceva said the atmosphere on Saturday was good but Fijian supporters were still getting to know the Kaiviti Silktails.

"There has been a wonderful amount of interest and support from the local community but I think because we're such a new entity...for a lot of Fijian sport supporters they're getting to know the Silktails for the first time so I can imagine more support as we start to build momentum and play more games," he said.

"I think all in all, as we play further into the competition whether that's this year or next year, we're going to be drawing really good crowd support."

Former Fiji Bati star Wes Naiqama has also joined the Silktails coaching staff after leaving his role with the Newcastle Knights to be a part of the country's first semi-professional rugby league team.

"Wes is pretty new in his coaching career obviously after having a successful NRL career and as a former Fiji Bati captain. He's a face that all our local players know really well," said Civoniceva of his former Bati team mate.

Fiji Bati coach Brandon Costin led the team in their debut match but will now resume his role as head of development and in-country for rugby league with Naiqama taking charge of the Silktails on a full-time basis.

"What he offers is obviously his experience as a player but now as a coach he has a great relationship with our young playing group so they're going to learn a lot," Civoniceva said.

"He's brought in some wonderful innovation like the use of video review for our players, which is something that they've never done before, and Wes has been a big part in getting our players to analyse their performances and obviously their opposition.

"These are some of the key things we are looking at in improving our local players so that when they do make the jump across to Australia or New Zealand and other senior competitions, they'll be well adjusted to do that."

Petero Civoniceva said the Kaiviti Silktails will be an important avenue through which to develop local rugby league talent on and off the field.

"That's been part of our charter as the Silktails is obviously focusing on empowering our local development and local talent to create a pathway into Australia and hopefully NRL but similarly also to develop our local coaches as well," he said.

"We're excited to think what this picture could look like in another five years time where we'll have all local Fijian staff whether coaching, management, administration at all levels. I think it's a really important step forward in terms of Pasifika.

"We've seen the success with our Pasifika players within the NRL and rugby codes so I think there has to be a focus on how we can improve and further add capacity to our local coaching and administration staff in country and I think that is a very important step for us to make."