A young Fijian girl who was brought up in a soccer-crazy family is slowly making a name for herself in the New Zealand rugby pitch.
Akanisi Finau, 17, the daughter of former Ba and Fiji midfielder, Leone Vurukania, helped her Geraldine Women’s Rugby Club beat University of Canterbury 43-42 earlier this month when she scored a last-minute try in her debut game.
A switch through from netball to rugby was no easy feat for the Wailotua, Wainibuka lass who shares maternal links to Nakalavo, Nadroga as she established a passion for netball when her family moved to New Zealand some years back.
“When I was nine years old, I had a dream of becoming a professional netball player and I worked towards achieving that dream,” Finau said.
“I started developing a love for rugby when we moved to New Zealand and I watched each and every rugby game I came across.
“Then came a day when I had to choose between the two sports, spoke to both my coaches and I opted for rugby because I had grown a love for it.”
At the age of nine, Finau attained a dream of becoming a professional netball player.
Her father is the eldest brother of Osea Vakatalesau, Peni Finau and Sekove Rova Finau who all plied their trade for Ba, Lautoka and the Fiji football teams. Growing up in Lautoka and in a sporting family, she grew accustomed to playing and participating in sporting events.
She captained the Lautoka Lewasewa netball team before joining the Shine On Club, and later the Rising Eagles Netters at 10, and her confidence sprung from the continuous support her parents showered towards her.
“I had to sacrifice studying late at night, early in the morning and every afternoon as I set sights on achieving my dream.
“There was this night I can recall my family and I were watching a Super Rugby game and I didn’t realise that I was falling in love with the game and rugby in particular, and I guess this changed my decision to switch.
“Now I’ve got my goals set for rugby and I need to work towards achieving that dream, particularly in securing a professional rugby contract later in life.”
