There is a strong core of players available to the Fiji women's rugby league team for its impending international debut, the new coach says.
Former Queensland and Scotland forward Adrian Vowles was appointed by the Fiji National Rugby League (NRL) earlier this month and will take charge of the team for its first test in June against the Papua New Guinea Orchids .
Adrian Vowles is a former Queensland women's head coach. Photo: Supplied
Vowles said there were a number of players of Fijian heritage already involved in the top divisions of the game in Australia.
"There's a few from Cronulla, there's a couple from Mounties in Sydney and a couple from Norths in Sydney as well," he said.
"But we've got a couple of girls playing for Ipswich in the Queensland competition and then CJ Sims plays for Tweed Heads in that same competition so they're exposed to that higher level or rugby league which is great.
"Then a couple of girls from Fiji are in the (New Zealand) Warriors system.
"I'm really excited because a lot of them I don't know of, I haven't seen them play, so for me I think that's really important because I don't have any bias - I just see how they go and the talents they have."
When he heard the Fiji women's team was going to play some games and be a part of the 2021 World Cup, Vowles said he sent a message to his former Castleford Tigers teammate and Fijian international James Pickering, who passed on his interest in the coaching role to the Fiji NRL.
The 47-year-old played professionally in Australia and the UK during the 1990s and early 2000s and said he had a long-standing interest in the women's game.
"I first started watching it when I was in the UK actually in 2000. I watched the World Cup over there and sort of kept an eye on things. When I came back (to Australia) I used to watch games in the Queensland competition," he said.
Adrian Vowles issues instructions during a training session. Photo: Supplied
"Then I got a role with the Queensland Women's side about four years ago as assistant coach and then became involved with the Jillaroos under head coach Steve Folkes. Then I coached Queensland a couple of years ago so it's been a passion that's certainly grown and particularly in the last two years."
Fiji's historic test against PNG forms part of the Pacific Test Invitational triple-header in June, which also includes men's internationals between the Fiji Bati and Lebanon and Toa Samoa against the PNG Kumuls.
Vowles said the team would also meet the world champions Australian Jillaroos later in the year.
"We will play the trial a week before we play PNG so we will have the Fiji-based girls come over playing the Australian-based Fijian girls so that will be quite an intense sort of week," he said.
"So we pick a top team out of that and then we will pick two teams - the second team will play (a selection from) Tonga on the Friday before the Saturday game. All girls will get an opportunity to get some exposure there and I get to have a really good look at them as well.
"I'm really looking forward to the first trial just to see what's there because I'm coming in blind. I know a little bit about some people but until you see them play you probably find out a bit more."
"We're aiming for the World Cup and they've got that opportunity now to work their way there," Vowles said.
"If you don't make this PNG side we've got Australia in October, so that's another opportunity, and we will have opportunities again in 2020 as well."
Adrian Vowles (R) during his time as Jillaroos assistant coach. Photo: Supplied/NRL Photos
