Vitalina Naikore

Vitalina Naikore (born 25 August 2000) is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the North Queensland Cowboys in the NRL Women's Premiership.

Vitalina Naikore
Personal information
Full nameVitalina Naikore
Born (2000-08-25) 25 August 2000
Savusavu, Fiji
Height160 cm (5 ft 3 in)
Weight68 kg (10 st 10 lb)
Playing information
Rugby league
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2023– North Qld Cowboys 7 3 0 0 12
Rugby union
PositionWing
Club
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2022–23 Fijiana Drua
Representative
Years Team Pld T G FG P
2021–23 Fiji
Source: RLP
As of 16 September 2023

Primarily a winger, she previously played rugby union, representing Fiji and playing for the Fijiana Drua in the Super W.[1]

Background

Naikore was born in Savusavu and was originally a soccer player while attending Holy Family Secondary School before switching to rugby union in 2019.[2]

Playing career

Rugby union

Naikore represented Fiji at the 2021 Rugby World Cup and 2022 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship.[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10]

In 2022, she joined the Fijiana Drua, scoring a hat trick in their Super W Grand Final win.[11][12]

Rugby league

On 25 May 2023, Naikore signed a three-year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys, joining her Drua teammate Merewalesi Rokouono at the club.[13]

In Round 1 of the 2023 NRL Women's season, she made her NRLW debut, coming off the bench in a 16–6 loss to the Gold Coast Titans.[14] In Round 2, she started on the wing and scored two tries in a 31–20 win over the Newcastle Knights.[15]

References
  1. world.rugby. "Fiji Rugby World Cup 2021". www.rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  2. "Naikore makes historic move". Fiji Times. 26 May 2023.
  3. worldrugby.org. "Fiji set sights on WXV qualification in Australia | World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  4. women.rugby. "Debutant full-backs shine on opening day of Oceania Rugby Women's Championship | Women in Rugby | women.rugby". www.women.rugby. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  5. women.rugby. "Fijiana flyer Vitalina Naikore enjoying opportunity to live Rugby World Cup dream | Women in Rugby | women.rugby". www.women.rugby. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  6. Prasad, Vashneel (2022-09-21). "Seruvakula names 32-member squad for Rugby World Cup". Official Website of Fiji Rugby Union. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  7. "Official Website of Fiji Rugby Union » Thrill-A-Minute Fijiana Record First-Ever Rugby World Cup Win". www.fijirugby.com. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  8. World, Rugby (2022-10-22). "Fiji Women's Rugby World Cup Squad 2022 – France 44-0 Fiji". Rugby World. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  9. Content, Syndicated. "Rugby-Fiji strike late to snatch first World Cup victory". WSAU News/Talk 550 AM · 99.9 FM | Wausau, Stevens Point. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  10. world.rugby. "Fijiana flyer Vitalina Naikore enjoying opportunity to live Rugby World Cup dream ｜ Rugby World Cup 2021". www.rugbyworldcup.com. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  11. "Vitalina Naikore Rugby | Vitalina Naikore News, Stats & Team | RugbyPass". www.rugbypass.com. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  12. "Vitalina Naikore Secures Job, Joins Drua". fijisun.com.fj. Retrieved 2023-06-03.
  13. "Cowboys sign Fijian Internationals". Cowboys.com.au. 25 May 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2023.
  14. "Final team list: Eight Cowboys named to make NRLW debuts". NQ Cowboys. 22 July 2023.
  15. "Dibb sinks former club in Cowboys upset over Knights". NRL.com. 30 July 2023.
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