Continuing the ‘Meet the Exiles’ Coaches‘ theme today we introduce you to Exiles’ Under 19 Girls Head Coach, Epeli Davetawalu.
Epeli, and the Under 19 Girls coaching team, enjoyed another amazing season in 2021-22, cementing the Exiles reputation as the leading force in UAE Under 19 Girls rugby.
When the Dubai Exiles Under 19 Girls finished last season they’d made a another considerable contribution to the Exiles‘ Mini & Youth trophy cabinet!
Winners of the HSBC Mini & Youth Rugby Festival Cup Final and the Plate Final in January, winners of the Abu Dhabi Tournament Cup Final as well as taking the Gulf Under 19 Girls title in front of 14,000 on Pitch 1 at the Emirates Dubai 7s in December.
Dubai Exiles Under 19 Girls celebrating winning the Emirates Dubai 7s in December 2021
A chat with the squad in the shade in Al Ain
Epeli is a very experienced rugby player and IRB Level 2 coach who has played rugby since the age of 5. He has represented his home country of Fiji and the UAE on the international stage in both 7-a-side and 15 man formats of the game. Epeli captained the Fijian U19 National Team in 2008 at the IRB U19 Pacific Nations Championship.
In 2009 he represented Fiji at the Under 20 Junior Rugby World Cup in Tokyo and in the same year he played for the Fiji Warriors (Fiji 2nd XV Team) and Fiji Barbarians in the IRB Pacific Cup. Epeli was also a member of the Fiji 7s squad in 2012.
Helping coach the Exiles minis on a Saturday morning
Leading the Exiles UAE Premiership side out in 2021-22
When Epeli arrived in the UAE it didn’t take long for him to gain a deserved reputation as a talented and powerful rugby player. In 2021 he was selected by Apollo Perelini to represent the UAE National 7s Team in Doha at the Asia Rugby Sevens Trophy tournament. Epeli contributed 22 points to the UAE‘s scoreboards during the tournament and helped the UAE defeat Iran by 38 points to 14 in the final.
Epeli is currently employed as a Rugby Coach at Dubai College where he is in charge of developing girls’ rugby. He is also Head Coach of the Dubai Exiles Under 19 Girls and helps out with the Exiles‘ Under 7s on a Saturday morning at The Sevens. He’s enjoyed an incredible 2021-22 season leading the Exiles‘ girls to the Gulf Under 19 Girls title at the Emirates Dubai 7s in December 2021.
Seven of the Exiles Under 19 Girls recently represented the UAE on the international stage at the Asia Rugby U18 Girls Sevens Championship in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. They defeated Rugby India in the final by 21 points to 17.
Dubai Exiles Under 19 Girls squad after winning the Cup Final and Plate Final after at the 2022 HSBC Mini & Youth Rugby Festival
Epeli is a talented, experienced, player and coach who gives up his time to impart his knowledge, know-how, and experience to the Exiles Under 19 Girls as well as the Exiles Under 7s.
