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Thread: Melbourne Rising star Sefanaia Naivalu rewarded for strong NRC form with Rebels contr

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    Melbourne Rising star Sefanaia Naivalu rewarded for strong NRC form with Rebels contr

    Nick Smart
    Herald Sun
    September 09, 2014 8:00PM


    FIJIAN scoring machine Sefanaia Naivalu has made history, becoming the first Victorian club rugby player to sign with Melbourne Rebels.

    In a sign of the growing strength of Victorian rugby, the Box Hill player yesterday penned a two-year deal with the Super Rugby club.

    The 22-year-old centre’s form in both the Dewar Shield and for Melbourne Rising in the National Rugby Championship has seen him snapped up the Rebels.

    Naivalu topscored with seventeen tries in the Dewar Shield this season and he has scored four tries for Melbourne Rising so far this season.

    He is the first player to win a Super Rugby contract directly from the NRC since the tournament kicked off.

    “It’s my dream to play at Super Rugby level, and now I am ready and proud to get the chance,” Naivalu said.

    “Now I have to prove myself again with the highest performances that I can give for the Melbourne Rising, and in training with the Rebels.

    “It’s a great honour for me to represent Box Hill Rugby Club, and to be the first player from the Dewar Shield to get selected to the next level.”

    Rebels coach Tony McGahan said he was thrilled to welcome Naivalu onboard.

    “This is a wonderful result for the Victorian Rugby community,” McGahan said.

    “There have been a lot of people from the game locally who have supported rugby for many years to give players, like Sefa, the opportunity to fulfil a dream and become a professional rugby player.

    “This dream is now a reality, but the hard work begins now as he looks to take his ability to the next level under this Rebels rugby program.”

    McGahan said Naivalu’s signing is proof the pathway is working.

    “Professional Rebels players have had a solid impact on the 2014 Dewar Shield Competition, breaking records for attendance and participation,” he said.

    “We want to ensure this continues to push the standard higher for local players.

    “And then we also have our elite programs ready to drive players along the road to becoming a Rebel, with the right performance staff and culture to make them better athletes, and more importantly, better people.”

    The unbeaten Melbourne Rising return to AAMI Park on Thursday night to take on the Perth Spirit at 7pm.

    The Sean Hedger-coached side made it three from three at Ballymore last Saturday afternoon with a 79-18 thumping of Brisbane City.

    http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby/su...-1227052859219


    Fantastic to see the NRC doing exactly what it was designed for

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    Maybe a bit of a stretch calling him local. From what I can gather he was still in Fiji a couple of years ago and basically went to Melbourne to play. He'd be "local" in the same way Chuckie was local for us.

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