IT will be a special McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji Sevens tournament for Aussie Select 7s debutant Garlene Peace who will get the chance to explore his Fijian heritage.
The young half back has both First Nations and Fijian heritage, with his Fijian roots linked to Votua Village on the Coral Coast, where his father is from.
This is a homecoming for Peace, one that carries a deep symbolic meaning.
“My mum is Aboriginal and I’m very close to my Aboriginal family back in Australia, and this trip is a great opportunity for me to strengthen my connection with my Fijian family,” Peace said.
“It’s a dream come true to be able to play in front of my Fijian family who haven’t had the chance to see me play before. Having them there in the stands will be incredibly special, and I can’t wait to run out knowing they’re watching.”
After reaching the quarter-finals in their debut appearance last year, the Australian side returns to the tournament for a second consecutive year supported by the PacificAus Sports program.
Peace said he is eager to make the most of the opportunity both on and off the field.
“I’m just looking forward to soaking up as much as I can from this experience, learning as much as possible, and then taking those learnings back to Brisbane to hopefully have a strong season.”
