MANY Fijian parents believe in theBbible verse on Proverbs 13 on the saying “Spare the rod, Spoil the child.”
This was exactly what debutant Bati player Etuate Qionimacawa went through in his childhood and what he went through then is something he is grateful for, now.
In Fiji and in many rural settings, many parents would still agree that the only way to keep their child away from getting trapped in bad company is by way of punishment.
Like many parents, Qionimacawa’s parents wanted nothing but the best from their son.
And to them, education and better academic results, was far greater than their son having some game time on the rugby field.
When Qionimacawa, attended Tailevu North College in 2003, he started playing rugby league for the school’s under-15 team but this was always done without his parents’ knowledge.
“I started playing rugby league at Tailevu North College and Eddie (Etuate) Waqa was our coach.”
He continued until he represented the school in their U17, but when he joined Nasinu Secondary School, the story was a little bit different.
He trained with the U19 team but never represented the school in the school’s competition.
“I couldn’t because whenever I played, the result would be a hiding from dad because he wanted me to concentrate on my studies,” Qionimacawa said.
But those hiding didn’t stop him from knowing that he had talent to play rugby, maybe it did stop him from going with the wrong crowd, but his aim to don the national colours continued to burn from within.
Now as he returned from the Pacific Test between the Vodafone Fiji Bati and the PNG Kumuls, Qionimacawa is happy that he continued to pursue his dreams.
“I started playing rugby union for the Natakali rugby team of Naiborebore, Tailevu and in 2009 I told “Ta” (dad) that I didn’t want to continue with education as my heart was in playing.”
Like many parents who preferred to see their child excel academically, this decision by Qionimacawa was somewhat a hard pill for his parents to swallow.
In 2012, the Kumi, Verata player joined the Northland Rugby Union playing in either the first-five or fullback’s position until 2014 when he was recruited by the army.
“In 2014, I didn’t play much union because I was recruited but straight after the basic recruitment course there was a 9s tournament in Nadi for rugby league so I joined the Makoi Bulldogs to be in that 9s tournament.”
At the BRC he was awarded the best all-round cadet in the recruitment course.
That was his return to the more contact and aggressive sport of rugby league and it also got him the opening to represent Fiji at the Pacific Games.
Six years after he made the decision to concentrate on his sporting talent and informed his parents of his decision in 2009, his parents finally realised that Qionimacawa was not joking about continuing with the sport.
“It was only when I was named for the Pacific Games team did my parents approved my playing rugby.
“When I returned from PNG, a friend- Asaeli Saravaki got me to join the Nadera Panthers because my younger brother, Isoa, who is now playing club rugby in Australia, also played with Panthers.
“My aim all along has been to make the Fiji Bati team and after the 2015 selection to the Pacific Games, I knew I could make it,” Qionimacawa said.
When he made the cut to be one of the three local boys to travel to Australia in the recent Test against the Kumuls, he did not look back for he knew this was his chance to shine.
“There were many differences that I learnt, the overseas-based players played a more structured rugby as opposed to locals like us, and they stuck to the game plan.”
This was something very unusual for Qionimacawa because back home, it’s not so much about the game plan but getting to the tryline.
“So I got the help I could from Sisa (Waqa), Akuila (Uate) and Kevin, and I’m really grateful to them for assisting me in my transition into their type of play.
“They were the ones who helped me a lot with my hat-trick, I am really grateful to them for coming down to my level; I never expected it because they are all NRL players.
“The team may have lost but the experience I gained from it is worthwhile and also getting the chance to play alongside NRL players is worth it.”
Upon returning from the Test, he learnt that after he scored his first try against the Kumuls, his parents cried tears of joy, thinking of how much they didn’t want their son to pursue his rugby when he started at a very tender age.
But for Qionimacawa, those disciplining ways from his father is something he will forever be indebted to, for he believes it has made him the man he is today.
And if you’re wondering why when he scored his last try he gestured by popping his tongue out, Qionimacawa said it was for a friend from high hschool whom he had a bet with and the score made him win that challenge.
At the age of 25 years, Qionimacawa after making his debut is now keeping his fingers crossed that one of those clubs that have indicated their interest in recruiting him would take him in following proper processes with the Fiji National Rugby League.
