Fijiana Drua changing minds and breaking down barriers for women

SYDNEY : Bitila Tawake was not even playing rugby four years ago but now she is a bona fide star back home as captain of a Fijiana Drua team that are tearing down barriers for women who want to play the Pacific island nation's favourite sport.

Matching the test prop's meteoric rise in the game, the Drua won Australia's elite Super W competition at the first time of asking last year and are now preparing to open their title defence against ACT Brumbies on March 25.

Tawake believes the impact of that debut triumph, coming on the back of a bronze medal for the Fijiana Sevens side at the Olympics in 2021, has been transformative for women's rugby in what is still a socially conservative nation.

"People's minds just started changing," the 23-year-old told a small group of reporters at the launch of the Super W season in Sydney last week.

"After last year's win there's been a lot of recognition from men especially, coming up to us to say, 'oh, good game, you guys did really well, better than the men'.

"It's in our culture that women belong in the kitchen, or belong in the house. They're supposed to be wives bearing children. But now it's kind of changed so we can do both. There's more equality and equity now."

Like most Fijians, the sporty Tawake played backyard rugby as a child but the lack of pathways for girls meant she moved onto netball and then played basketball for her country.

"I never really expected to play rugby, but it's been a dream. Everyone in Fiji has rugby in the blood," she added.

"I joined basketball, I guess I wanted more physicality, and then my friend and my cousin convinced me to play rugby."

Tawake's talent meant she quickly rose to test level, including playing in all three of Fiji's matches at last year's