Rugby

Rewa On A Rugby Mission

“We’ll play two games against Lakeba and then we’ll be conducting coaching clinics especially for children in the villages.”
14 Dec 2020 16:34
Rewa On A Rugby Mission
Rewa Rugby Union players and officials show the trophy on the Goundar Ferry as they left for Lakeba from the Mua-i-Walu Port in Walu Bay, Suva, on December 13, 2020. Photo: Leon Lord

It was a historic moment for the Rewa Rugby Union.

For the first time the Rewa team set sail for Lakeba, Lau yesterday, on a 10-day tour to promote rugby on the island.

RRU president Ro Macanawai Mataitini confirmed that this was the first for them and they were looking forward to it.

“This is a great thing for us, in terms of developing rugby in Fiji and especially reaching out to the outer islands,” Ro Macanawai said.

“We were invited by the Lakeba Rugby Association and we will be there for 10 days.

“We’ll play two games against Lakeba and then we’ll be conducting coaching clinics especially for children in the villages.”

There are six villages on the island: Tubou, Nasaqalau, Yadrana, Waciwaci, Levuka and Vakano.

Lakeba is renowned for producing the country’s top cricket players like Eroni Loganimoce, Ilikena Bula, Peni Dakai, Taione Batina, Suliasi Sorovakatini, Joeli Mateyaqa and the list goes on.

Playing as Tubou, they won the country’s prestigious Dewar Shield from Lautoka in 1963 and never relinquished it.

In rugby former star lock Ilisoni Taoba, former Flying Fijians captain Akapusi Qera, Tiko Matawalu, former Brumbies prop Henry Qiodravu all hail from the island.

Lakeba had been playing regularly in the then Island Zone competition,

Ro Macanawai said it had been a long season of rugby and they were glad to contribute to FRU’s development of the sport in the maritime zone.

“We had no sponsors for this trip but we fundraised for it,” he added.

The Rewa rugby team won this year’s Vodafone Vanua Championship and are going to play in next year’s Skipper Cup Premiership.

 

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