Carletta Yee [Source: Fiji Rugby/Facebook]

Seventeen-year-old lock Carletta Yee will make her Test debut for the Vodafone Fijiana 15s this Saturday.

Head coach Ioan Cunningham has named a new-look squad to face Manusina Samoa in the final round of the 2025 Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship at Lawaqa Park.

Yee, who plays for Suva-based Striders Rugby Club, has been rewarded for her rapid rise through the ranks with a place on the bench.

A former student of St Joseph’s Secondary and MGM School is one of the youngest to play for Fijiana.

“I would just go in there to perform, play the game, and do what I need to do. Just need to know my priorities.”

Cunningham has blended youth and experience for what he expects to be a physical and high-tempo contest against a Manusina side that defeated Fijiana in last year’s WXV tournament.

“Samoa are well-coached and highly physical. They beat us in WXV last year, so this test will be a great benchmark for our World Cup preparations.”

Among the key selections, No. 8 Manuqalo Noame Komaitai earns a start, displacing former Fijiana 7s captain Rusila Nagasau from the 23.

Halfback Setaita Railumu retains her jersey after steering the team to a commanding 59-5 win over Tonga last weekend, while dynamic winger Michella’e Stolz makes her first start after debuting off the bench.

Veteran Luisa Tisolo returns to fullback and there’s added firepower on the bench with the inclusion of sisters Keleni Marawa and Karalaini Naisewa, as well as sevens star Alowesi Nakoci.

Yee’s debut isn’t the only signal of Fijiana’s growing depth, with Cunningham keen to highlight the development of the squad’s younger players.

“It’s been inspiring to see our young players step up with confidence. They’ve brought new energy and are developing quickly within the team environment.”

Reflecting on last weekend’s win, Cunningham praised his team’s ability to adapt under pressure.

“The conditions were tough, but we executed a wet-weather game plan effectively. Scoring 59 points in those conditions shows real progress,” he said. “We’ve improved significantly in key areas since the Wallaroos match—game control, territory management, discipline, and our set-piece execution all took a step forward.”

Saturday’s Test will not only decide regional bragging rights but serve as a critical gauge ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup in the United Kingdom this September.

Fijiana and Manusina will clash at 4pm at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka.

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