Fiji bank on Drua core for World Cup campaign

Fiji will be relying heavily on Fijian Drua at the World Cup after coach Simon Raiwalui named 18 players from the Super Rugby Pacific side in his squad for the tournament alongside more grizzled veterans based in Europe.

Toulon flyer Waisea Nayacalevu will captain the team in his third World Cup, while former rugby league back Semi Radradra has also booked his ticket to France after being one of the outstanding players early in the 2019 World Cup in Japan.

As expected, there is no shortage of power and pace in the 33-man squad but Raiwalui will look to the core of Drua to bring cohesion and set-piece solidity to the Flying Fijians.

The Drua made their debut in Super Rugby last year and this season stunned New Zealand powerhouses the Canterbury Crusaders and Wellington Hurricanes in huge upsets on home soil to reach the quarter-finals.

The likes of hooker Tevita Ikanivere and free-scoring winger Iosefo Masi had brilliant campaigns, while all five halfbacks are from the Drua.

The one player who has yet to be blooded in the test arena is Drua prop Jone Koroiduadua, while the highest profile omission was Australian-born flyhalf Ben Volavola.

Winger Vinaya Habosi was included despite being sacked by the Drua at the beginning of the season for a "high level" code of conduct breach.

Backs Radradra, Masi, Sireli Maqala, Josua Tuisova and Jiuta Wainiqolo all won gold medals for Fiji in Sevens at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Fiji warmed up for the World Cup by beating Samoa, Tonga and 2019 quarter-finalists Japan to comfortably win the Pacific Nations Cup.

"We have had a good journey for the last five weeks," Raiwalui said. "I couldn't be more proud of the players and the input they had in all our three test matches."

Fiji will play