Leone Nakarawa returns to Fiji to join Drua for 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season

Leone Nakarawa, one of the most decorated players in Fijian rugby history, will return home to play for the Fijian Drua in the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific competition. The 38-year-old lock brings 68 Test caps and 132 professional club appearances to a young Drua squad in need of senior leadership.

Nakarawa’s career has taken him across some of European rugby’s biggest clubs — Glasgow Warriors, Racing 92, Toulon and Castres — establishing him as one of the game’s most distinctive ball-carriers and offload specialists. His international record is equally impressive: he featured in three Rugby World Cup campaigns and was named in the official team of the 2015 tournament, widely regarded as the peak of his Test career.

Beyond the fifteen-a-side game, Nakarawa was part of the Fijian sevens squad that claimed gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, cementing his status as a generational talent across rugby’s two formats.

Fijian Drua general manager rugby Baden Stephenson said the signing carried significance well beyond what the player brings on the field. “Leone is a quality person, quality leader and big-game player,” Stephenson said in a statement on Tuesday. “We are excited to bring someone of his vast experience into the forward pack. It will be very special seeing Leone represent his family, village and country in the Super Rugby competition.”

Nakarawa himself said he was looking forward to pulling on the Drua jersey and being back in Fiji, though characteristically offered little more — the lock has long been known for letting his rugby do the talking.

The move adds genuine pedigree to a Drua franchise that has been building steadily since entering Super Rugby Pacific in 2022. With the 2027 Rugby World Cup on the horizon and set to be held in Australia, Nakarawa’s experience could also prove valuable in shaping the next generation of Flying Fijians.