Former Fiji Schoolboys coach Timoce Duve has been confirmed as the Kaiviti Silktails head coach for the NSWRL 2025 Jersey Flegg Cup season.
Duve became caretaker coach for the Silktails in June this year after former Bati Fiji international and former NRL player Wes Naiqama stepped down from the position after four years.
Duve was among several appointments made this week by Executive Director Stephen Driscoll, Chair Petero Civoniceva, and the Silktails board.
Former strength and conditioning coach and captain of the Fiji Residents rugby Sevens at the South Pacific Games, Rusiate Ratukana, comes back in as Silktails assistant coach.
They will both be supported by technical advisor Joe Saukuru, who will be the coaching link between the Silktails and their new feeder club – Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
Saukuru is a former coach with the Bulldogs SG Ball (Under 19s) team back in 2018. He has already begun training with the Bulldogs SG Ball and Jersey Flegg (U21s) teams so he can feed information back to the Silktails coaches in Fiji.
Driscoll said Duve’s appointment was done in consultation with the Bulldogs and is part of both of the long-term strategy to develop locally-based coaches and staff in Fiji.
Former Silktails head of pathways Ben Tubakibau returns to the club to help with recruitment.
“Master Duve or ‘Jimmy’, as he is known to us, was thrown into a really tough position when Wes Naiqama finished up mid-season,” Driscoll said.
“He had just set up the framework for the delivery of our Elite Development Pathway (EDP) program when he took over as caretaker coach but as the season went on he really grew into the head coach’s role.”
Duve has already spent time with Bulldogs General Manager of Pathways, Adam Hartigan, while he was in Fiji, and last week he met with Bulldogs development coach Craig Wilson in Suva. The pair delivered elite clinics to players from The Kikau Academy and the Silktails EDP squads.
In other appointments 2022 Jaquie Shannon Medallist (Staff Member of the Year) Sai Ledua returns to the club to work with the performance and medical team after leaving midway through 2023 due to Achilles surgery.
Vilimaina Tuivaga is now the Silktails head physiotherapist with Mereoni Tuinanuya (pictured below, middle) continuing in the General Manager Role.
“Stevie and I have brought some people back to the club who are real Silktails people and understand our values,” Civoniceva said. “It’s great to have Rusi, Sai and Ben return.
“That on top of the people we have retained from last year will be much better for the experience second time around, including our head coach Master Duve, who our board will give all the support he needs.”
This year the Silktails played 24 matches (two byes) without a win, but they lost five of those by six points or less.
From the 19-man squad that travelled to Australia for their last match in Sydney (v Parramatta Eels, Round 25) 12 of them would have qualified for SG Ball Cup (U19s).
Now the majority of the Silktails 30-player squad have a full 26-round season under their belts and will be stronger for that.
The Silktails are proudly supported by the Australian Government through PacificAus Sports. PacificAus Sports creates opportunities for Australian and Pacific athletes to learn, train, play, and grow together.
