The Fiji Rugby Union has appointed Daniel Wood as its new High Performance Unit manager, replacing Peter Murphy. Fijilive.com journalist Torika Tokalau talks to the Aerospace Engineer on the mammoth task that awaits him at the FRU’s High Performance Unit.

Fijilive: Congratulations on getting the job Daniel. Now could you tell us a bit about yourself?

Wood: Well I’ll start with my name shall I? My full name is Michael Daniel Kaiser Lobendan Wood and I was born in Fiji in 1978 so that makes me 30-years old now. I migrated to Australia with my mum in 1985 and I spent 21-years there.

There are three of us in the family, my sister, I am the middle child and I have a half brother.

Fijilive: What are your qualifications?

Wood:I did a degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Sydney and later a PhD in Aerospace structure in 2005.

I moved back to Fiji and did post mechanical engineering for three years at the University of the South Pacific.

In that time I volunteered with the Fiji Rugby Union and helped out with engineering, fitness and anthropometry.

I helped with fitness testing prior to the world cup in France in 2007.

I’ve worked with Tony Latufanoa who is the Manu Samoa team trainer and I did two courses in sports science.

Fijilive: Tell us a bit about your background in sports. Have you played rugby before?

Wood: I played outside centre for two years at the University of Sydney that is the only rugby career I’ve had.

I played more American football than I did rugby really.

During my time in high school I was a swimmer for New South Wales.

Fijilive: Your father, Dan Lobendan is a former XVS rep so you’re obviously no stranger to the sport?

Wood: Oh yes my dad is a strong rugby guy. He lives rugby basically. But then it just doesn’t stop with him. My mum is passionate rugby follower and my elder sister also played rugby in Australia.

Fijilive: Are you married? Kids?

Wood: I’m married to Sereana Nasome, she’s a doctor and we have a beautiful baby daughter who is four months old.

Fijilive: Apart from rugby, what else are you passionate about?

Wood: Well my wife and I are youth pastors at the New Life Centre in Suva, this started last year. We haven’t begun this year but it’s going to be up and running again just as soon as I settle in here at Rugby House.

Fijilive: How does your wife feel about this new career pathway for you?

Wood: My wife is very supportive about my new career. She knows how passionate I am about my rugby.

Fijilive: You’ve experienced rugby in Australia as well as worked with technical staff overseas, what do you think of Fiji’s potential?

Wood: Fiji definently has potential, we have the pieces but it’s just about organising this well. I am a very positive person and I love to see positives in every criticism that comes along.

Fiji has great players, no one can argue about that but it’s up to the coaches, trainer, medical officials and even facilities to bring that out.

Fijilive: What do you think of the progress of Fiji rugby throughout the years?

Wood: My main concern is human capital and how HPU can invest in that. Fijians tend to be observant instead of analytical. They watch a game, see what’s wrong and go from there, they don’t want to go through all the paperwork and that’s where I come in.

It’s a matter of getting people trained.

Fijilive: You’ve volunteered with FRU in the past and now you’re at the helm of HPU. What do you think of the HPU unit?

Wood: We’ve a great team, great administrators and support staff. We have our IT unit up and running and I would really like to see unions around the country adopt this because it helps a lot in analysing a team’s performance.

Australia has established themselves and their way up there, Fiji will take years to get up their level but the best thing about us is that we are moving up.

Fijilive: You took over from Peter Murphy, what do you think about the work he has done with FRU?

Wood: Peter established good strategies and procedures that helped FRU a lot. HE has obviously left a good foundation that I am going to work on.

Fijilive: What are the plans and goals you’ve set for yourself in your two years as HPU manager?

Wood: Well I will continue to build the platform that has been set. My main focus is getting the right infrastructure set and the support staff to mend that. Everything has been set, Fiji Rugby Union has set up training facilities around the country but these need improvement, their not in a good state I tell you.

There’s only so much that the HPU can do. We’ve grown from 30 players contracted last year to 60 this year which includes the main team, junior and 7s players.

We have big tournament coming up, the 7s world cup, Junior world up and Pacific Rugby Cup as well as the Pacific Nations Cup and we have to do well in.
There is a huge concentration on people, the trainers and referees, medical staff, coaches.

Fijilive: The IRB has enforced Experimental Law Variations in most international tournaments; Fiji still hasn’t picked this up. Can Fiji pick this up fast in order to participate competitively in international meets?

Wood: All these depend on having referees that have a good handle of the ELVs. We have James Bolabiu who knows the new laws, he is at the helm of competition overseas so he is willing to chip in and help.

The 7s team have the world cup in less then two months, you assessed their fitness test earlier this week. What do you think of their chances?

Wood: We have the Wellington 7s in less then three weeks and we are in the position to improve. Fiji has a good core of players but then again it really is up to the players. HPU will always be willing to help of course.

Fiji has the speed and we have endurance but there is still more room for improvement.

Fijilive

Back to Home

Print