Rebels looking for more talent in Fiji
The Rugby clinics, headed by former Flying Fijians head coach Ilivasi Tabua, will be held across the country over the next month to unearth promising local rugby talent hoping to follow in the footsteps of Rebels' Sefa Naivalu.
Leota, who became the second home-grown talent to make his Super Rugby debut with the Rebels last year against the Crusaders, will help coach and educate local youths and communities through the values of rugby.
"The Rebels have a proud history with Fijian Rugby so we're thrilled that Rob can join the Rugby Plus program to share his rugby experience and help deliver clinics," Melbourne Rebels General Manager Rugby Operations Baden Stephenson said.
"The team values our partnership with Melbourne's Island Breeze community and proudly support their decade of work to positively contribute to Victorian Rugby and countless lives across the Pacific through their Rugby Plus program."
Island Breeze, a ministry of Youth With A Mission, established the Rugby Plus program in 2003 to use rugby as a vehicle to help young people either get off the streets, off drugs; it's all about youth and community development.
"The Island Breeze Rugby Plus program is looking forward to hosting Rob [Leota] for some clinics in Ovalau, where Sefa [Naivalu] is from and played most of his rugby," Island Breeze Rugby Plus Director Waqa Baravilala said.
"Melbourne Rebels and Rob's presence in Ovalau will give the local community a moral boost and have a positive impact and influence on the partnership in many ways."
After being discovered at high school by the Rugby Plus program, Naivalu kicked off his meteoric rise when he moved to Melbourne with the support of Island Breeze in 2014.
Super Sefa, as he's affectionately known by fans, caught the attention of the Melbourne Rebels in his first year with Box Hill in the local Dewar Shield competition and never looked back.
Naivalu's debut Super Rugby season was recognised with the Rugby Union Players Association newcomer of the year and Rebels Rookie of the Year awards in 2015 before the wing made his Wallabies debut this year.
The Melbourne Rebels have three contracted Fijians for the 2017 Super Rugby season with new recruits Marika Koroibete and international flyhalf Ben Volavola joining Naivalu in Melbourne.
