Date of birth | 2 April 1999 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Rugby union career | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Bitila Tawake (born 2 April 1999) is a Fijian rugby union player. She competed for Fiji at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup. She also plays for the Fijiana Drua in the Super W competition.
Tawake hails from Mualevu, Vanua Balavu in Lau and has maternal links to Nukuloa, Gau in Lomaiviti.[1] She attended Veiuto Primary and Yat Sen Secondary. She has represented Fiji in basketball.[1]
Tawake was named in the Fijiana Drua squad for their first Super W competition.[2] She captained the Drua in their debut match against the Rebels.[3][4] She also led them against the Waratahs in the Grand Final as they clinched their first title.[5][6]
Tawake was selected for the Fijiana squad for two test matches against Australia and Japan in May.[7][8] She only featured in the Japan test.[9]
Tawake captained the Fijiana's at the 2022 Oceania Championship in New Zealand.[10][11] She led her side in their record trouncing of Papua New Guinea.[12][13][14] She then scored a try in their 34–7 win against Tonga.[15][16] She also led the Fijiana's in their final matchup against Samoa.[17][18] In September she played in a warm up match against Canada.[19] She was also named in the Fijiana squad for the 2021 Rugby World Cup.[20]
Tawake scored the Fijiana fifteens lone try in their test against the Wallaroos on 20 May, her side lost 5–22.[21][22] On 28 November, it was announced that she had joined Chiefs Manawa for the 2024 Super Rugby Aupiki season.[23][24]