IT felt like a glimpse into the past for Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women’s player Tiana Robanakadavu when she met school students on the island of Ovalau during the club’s community blitz there recently.
Robanakadavu, who acts as tighthead prop, was in the midst of signing autographs for a multitude of youngsters when Times Sports caught up with her.
From signing posters, flags to t-shirts, it was a concentrated exercise for her, however her excitement in meeting students at Nasau Park in Levuka shone through.
She shared how seeing the students made her reflect on her early days in the sport.
“It reminded me of my humble beginnings and how it was coming up the ladder,” Robanakadavu said.
With this in mind, her message to them was a simple one: keep working hard.
“I’ve told them to keep working hard, and that anything’s possible whether you’re here in the rural area or the urban area, if you commit to it every day, it will work out.”
As the youngsters became a mirror of reflection for her, also high on the list were her pre-season preparation plans for the upcoming Super Rugby Women’s competition.
“We are re-grouping soon. So far, we’ve been doing DTEs (daily training exercises),” she added.
With the new season slated for kick-off in due course, she also expressed her hopes of being selected in the final squad for the competition.
Robanakadavu began her rugby career at 18-years-old with the under-19 Suva Rugby Women’s team in 2023.
She has also represented the nation with the Fijiana XV, playing her first Test against Japan later that year.
She then made her debut for the Fijian Drua Women last year.
