HE and his Cakaudrove under-13 Kaji rugby teammates played their hearts out until the final whistle, however they were defeated 0-7 by Suva in the final of the Vodafone Fiji Kaji/Kajiana Rugby Competition at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva last Thursday.
After the match, as the team walked off , he pulled away from them to meet his uncle, Josese Kalawaci, who gave him a hug and thanked him for giving his best effort to help his teammates in the match.
He replied with a beaming smile and the sight of it warmed Kalawaci’s heart, as he let his nephew go to join his teammates once more. This young man, at the age of 13-years-old, is Eliakimi Dakai.
Dakai has a story most youngsters at his age would find themselves lost in, however he stood with determination, resilience and thankfulness for what was done and accepted it with optimism for what lay ahead.
It’s a story of many virtuous qualities but a compelling factor driving his will and passion to pursue the game is his father, who is currently serving time at the Naboro Corrections Facility. His parents were separated when he was still learning to find his way in the world and ever since then, a key motivating element that has kept him going since is the unceasing power of the Bible verse from Philippians, chapter four, verse 13, which states ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’
And at the Kaji/Kajiana rugby competition, his performance in it last week was testament to that. Life in the West, genesis of talent While Dakai may have played for Cakaudrove, he first picked the oval-shaped rugby ball when he was still in year one at Tavua Andhra Sangam School, in Yaladro, Tavua.
He recalled the first stages of primary school there as an adventurous one, and his progress through the game began with tag rugby. From tag rugby, his move for more engagement in the game
soared and with it, the move from Tavua to the village of Viani in Vanua Levu.
“Before I used to be schooling in Tavua, and then moved over to Vanua Levu to go to school here (Viani) since my parents who stayed over said for me to go to school here,” Dakai recalled.
Moving up North would have meant a complete change in surroundings from the cane fields, scorching heat, the blue expanse of the Sunshine Coast and the vibrant kaleidoscope of life in Tavua Town.
But it did not change much for him after all, instead he found the change in scenery to be a welcoming one. “It was so different,” Dakai recalled when asked if moving from Tavua to Viani would have
changed his approach to rugby.
“Over there (Tavua), sometimes my position (in rugby) would change and now that I’ve come over to Cakaudrove, it’s been great.” And it surely was.
Dakai has always played rugby in the position of number eight, and in that area, his responsibility as a forward in the back row ensures he must control the ball at the rear of the scrum and rucks, while also linking the forwards and backs and being a tough carrier of the ball.
When asked what made him choose that position to play in, his answer indicated a firm desire to have always done so. “The position I have always played in was the number eight position,” he said.
“I had always known that I could play in it (number eight position).
Absence of a father figure
When this newspaper first caught up with Dakai, his uncle Josese Kalawaci had relayed how his nephew had played in the competition and what motivated him to do so and keep pushing on was the incarceration of his father.
Dakai’s father is Kalawaci’s younger sibling, and he shared how he had supported his nephew in ensuring he could play in the Kaji/Kajiana competition.
“My younger sibling, this is his child, Eliakimi. He always plays rugby,” he told Times Sports.
“I know his family went through a difficult time and he (Eliakimi’s father) is now at Naboro (Naboro Correctional Facility) and so his desire was to play rugby so he could show his talent.” “And so, that’s why I brought him to Suva to play for the Cakaudrove under-13 team which lost to Suva 0-7.”
Dakai recalled the separation of his parents and eventually the move of his twin siblings from Tavua to Viani as one that began from arguments they would have.
Meanwhile, when Times Sports later spoke to Dakai, he said they would visit his father on Friday, the day after.
When asked what the words of encouragement from his father that kept him going were, his voice trailed, and his eyes welled up with tears.
“He has always told me to put my trust in the Lord, to always think of my siblings and to look after those at home,” the 13-year old said.
Playing in the competition
For young primary school rugby players, getting picked to play for the Kaji/Kajiana championships are occasions that warrant celebration and expose them to the opportunity of setting foot in a professional rugby setting for the first time.
In Dakai’s case, the first thing he did after he was told of his selection into the Cakaudrove under-13 Kaji rugby team was to give thanks and praise to where it was due – the Man above.
“When I found out that I had been selected, I firstly acknowledged the Lord for blessing me with the opportunity to be part of it and for the strength to do so,” he recalled with a smile.
It was a long time coming for him, the end result of what started with him playing in Tavua, and with it, his growth as a player since then.
“There have been a lot of changes that have taken place for me. Sometimes, I would feel tired and not want to play however now, I have been enjoying my time as a player with the Cakaudrove
team.”
Coming into the three-day competition that began on Tuesday, September 2 and finished on Thursday, September 4, he acknowledged the efforts of he and his teammates for getting the job
done.
“I am happy that in all the games we played (in the tournament), we played really well,” he stated. “We have always been very supportive of one another, our coach would tell us to look out for one
another, communicate well in the fi eld and not be quiet.”
While they fell short of a successful podium finish, he recalled how intense their preparations for the competition had been.
“It was really good (preparation), we would train every day from the morning till the afternoon.”
The team was selected from various clusters around the Cakaudrove primary schools rugby district and upon their combination, were billeted at the Naweni District School off the Hibiscus Highway, 25km from Savusavu Town.
Family support
Dakai said the support from his family was great and while they were separated in connection due to poor network reception at home, the support was always there.
“It’s been tremendous. There’s no network (reception at home) and I’d just like to thank them for supporting the team even though we lost in the finals, but I’d like to thank them very much for their support.”
The future
At just 13-years-old, Dakai’s life up until this point is somewhat similar to a story of new twists and turns, however with these components, springs forth a sense of optimism in which nothing can taint its drive to success.
As his primary school days come to an end with the third term of school already underway from today, he now sets his eyes on the next chapter – secondary school.
One school in particular had caught his eye and while it may be assumed his choice stems from their recent win of the under-18 grade of the Vodafone Deans trophy, it has in fact been a deeply rooted desire.
“The one high school that I have always aimed on wanting to become a part of is Ratu Kadavulevu School (RKS),” he said. “It has always been a dream of mine ever since I was in year three in Tavua.”
His vision for the future did not stop there, he went further and when asked on whether he planned to take his ambition into a professional capacity, his answer was a definite one.
“I have a dream to join the Flying Fijians”.
