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Fijian Drua secure star flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula on new deal

1 day ago

Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula of the Fijian Drua during the round two Super Rugby Pacific match between Hurricanes and Fijian Drua at McLean Park, on February 22, 2025, in Napier, New Zealand. (Photo by Kerry Marshall/Getty Images)

Fijian Drua flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula has re-signed a new deal with the club until what’s believed to be the end of the 2027 Super Rugby Pacific season, which is a major coup for the side and Fijian rugby ahead of the Men’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.

It’s been reported by Fijivillage that Armstrong-Ravula has penned a contract extension for two more seasons in the southern hemisphere’s premier rugby competition, although the Drua didn’t specify a timeframe in their press release.

Much like uncle Richie Mo’unga who used to play for the Crusaders and All Blacks, Armstrong-Ravula has demonstrated an impressive standard of composure, skill and rugby IQ while taking on some of the world’s best in this competition and at Test level.

Armstrong-Ravula debuted for the Drua last season against the Blues in Whangarei and is already the club’s all-time leading point scorer. The No. 10 has led the Drua to some famous wins in that period, including triumphs over both the Chiefs and Crusaders.

Earlier this month, the Drua handed the ladder-leading Chiefs their first loss of the season. Armstrong-Ravula played a key role in that upset after returning to the starting side, with two conversions and three penalty goals at Lautoka’s Churchill Park.

Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne described Armstrong-Ravula and other Drua flyhalf Caleb Muntz as “world-class” players before the Pacific Nations Cup in 2024, so there’s no question this is a significant re-signing for the Drua and Fijian rugby.

“Just really blessed, really grateful to the coaches for giving me this opportunity in a very special club like the Drua,” Armstrong-Ravula said in a statement. “I’m very excited for the future.”

Armstrong-Ravula featured in three Fiji Tests during last year’s November internationals, with the youngster starting at fullback on two occasions against Scotland and Spain. The highlight was a try against Scotland at Murrayfield, although Fiji were beaten comprehensively.

Under new head coach Glen Jackson in Super Rugby, Armstrong-Ravula has been locked in a tussle and friendly rivalry with Muntz. With both men gunning for the same starting spot, that competition was always going to make both playmakers better.

Armstrong-Ravula started against the Hurricanes in round two, and has since returned to the First XV for matches against the Chiefs and ACT Brumbies. In those three starts, Armstrong-Ravula has played 80 minutes in each appearance.

While the Drua went down in a thriller to the NSW Waratahs in Sydney earlier this season, Armstrong-Ravula was especially impressive, helping drive the team around the park from flyhalf and later from fullback.

But with RugbyPass reporting in February that Muntz is “close” to signing with Top 14 hopefuls Provence, this transfer news becomes even more important for the Drua.

“This is a significant re-signing for the Fijian Drua as we believe Izzy can develop into a world-class player,” Baden Stephenson, General Rugby Manager Rugby, Fijian Drua, explained.

“Izzy is very mature for a young man and works extremely hard on his game. When you look across history of Super Rugby there hasn’t been too [many] players at his age that have had the same impact, skill set and temperament.

“We love that he is very grounded, grateful, lives the club values and is invested in every aspect of our club.”

Comments

3 Comments

BA 1 hr ago

How good is that!! Must be doing it for ❤️and not just money as there would be some cash out there for young fulla good already only going to get better

lK 7 hours ago

👍🏼

JD Kiwi 19 hours ago

Great news, he's already one of the best 10s in the comp.

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Comments on RugbyPass

BA 1 hour ago

Fijian Drua secure star flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula on new deal

How good is that!! Must be doing it for ❤️and not just money as there would be some cash out there for young fulla good already only going to get better

3 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

TBH, and is the case over here with many of fans as well, I prefer the idea of the AIL and NPC (Currie Cup) being the true heart beat/cornerstone of the domestic rugby scene.

As per Miz question, how does a team go about that rise you reckon? Someone got hold of the club and drove an interest in participation back with it, or just another generational thing?

Also, a question I gave Miz, do you think the AIL has the ability to go somehere, be more than what it is now, like the Championship over in England etc? If it doesn’t get the same spotlight as those other examples ofc, it might do already? Sydney club footy has several thousand attend its finals games etc.

32 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

Yeah I mentioned in another thread to Deepete that’d I’d been comparing NZ and Ireland, and what I ended up recognizing was that Aussie is far similar to Ireland. Sorry, for ignorance but I can’t remember if that similarity was shared or used in some of NBs articles.

NZ and Ireland both use provinces but Aussies States are far more inline with your provinces right? I was wondering if the AIL had clubs that were on the tipping point of wanting to become pro, how close could they get to a current Ulster etc. I’m guess the Ulster players no longer have much to do with their former clubs, unlike how SR players jump back to their equivalent provinces? So one of those Ulster teams wouldn’t say have half a dozen URC players who would otherwise represent them?

I’m wondering how close their structure can get to being a good back drop for the Aussie players once SR is finished, if the top structures are similar (State v Province), could Irelands club system also be used, but most importantly, would it be good enough?

BTW ty for the reply, I actually had the tables up and had no idea who was who lol

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Rebeccakirby 3 hours ago

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1 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

I wonder if we’ve struck a winner here (generally speaking pro to amateur eras). I’d been thinking of the differences between here and Ireland, and despite our pro teams being created from large regions and very similar to yours, you’ve always had that as you’re top tier domestic comp right, but along the lines of our smaller provincial competition (the NPC) it was previously representative?

There is still a very big following and favourtism for rep rugby over ‘club’ or the pro rugby teams here. I wonder if Ulster has just lost that edge of what it meant to be a rep team? Were as Leinster have been able to embrace the new ‘club’ persona far more enthusiastically?

Could be that ‘pro’ vibe just eating into what were the strengths of your traditional teams?

32 Go to comments

JW 3 hours ago

'Ulster, though no one wants to admit it, isn't much more than a development province right now.'

So their was some sort of continuity from that era. It all sounds very normal, ex players shouldn’t need to be asked to give back to the game, even in the amateur era, and if you’re critical of them not being professional and committed enough then, well you’re in the same boat as everyone else basically.

Ulster have certainly been pretty good since I’ve been noticing, though sure, clearly under Leinsters spotlight. Picked up on a few of this years unfortunate results though. Happens to the best, hopefully things turn around.

Ah right, so in a similar boat to the Ulster schools? If it’s anything like here, I don’t know why that should matter much. Widely varying results from within NZ despite heavily funded/wealth Auckland sides to my understanding, totally about the crop of players coming through. Though that might still be a key point of difference in perspective, with although not in numbers, rugby still being the dominant sport here?

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fl 7 hours ago

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with the depth england have atm, I don’t think its especially true to say the summer will be a development tour! I reckon England will field a strong side, and look to build directly on the progress seen in the 6N.

Graham Simmons had a go selecting a full Lions squad in a recent article on here titled “2025 Lions' selection: An idiot's guide”

Excluding all the players he named, England could still field a matchday 23 of:

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2 - Cowan-Dickie

3 - Heyes

4 - Coles

5 - Martin

6 - Cunningham-South

7 - Underhill

8 - T. Willis

9 - JVP

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16 - Dan

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20 - Hill

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22 - Randall

23 - Ojomoh

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lK 7 hours ago

Fijian Drua secure star flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula on new deal

👍🏼

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