Former USA Rugby 7s Fiji-born player Jone Naqica was inducted into the US Rugby Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 recently.
Naqica’s induction into the prestigious forum marks the culmination of nine years in donning the Eagles jersey.
Speaking to The Fiji Times yesterday, the former US representative relayed his elation at being named in the Hall of Fame alongside six other inductees.
“I feel ecstatic right now; it hasn’t sunk in yet and I know it’s a tremendous honour to be inducted,” Naqica told this newspaper.
“Just to be acknowledged by my peers and coaches, fellow coaches in America for USA Rugby – I feel blessed.”
During his time with the USA Eagles, he played as full-back in the 15s side from 2001-2010 and earned a total of eight caps in 12 games.
When he made his debut against South Africa in 2001, he cemented a lasting impression in the team when he scored two tries in that match.
While he donned the Eagles jersey in 15s, he made a formidable mark in the rugby sevens as well.
He made 97 appearances and earned 23 caps for the 7s side where he played as fly-half and was captain of the team from 2006-2010.
Reflecting on his experience with the side, he fondly recalled how his time with the side was and how accommodating his teammates were.
“A little bit of a culture shock but my fellow teammates at USA Rugby were very welcoming so I felt like I belonged there right away,” he highlighted.
“As soon as I joined the team, I felt like I was welcomed with open arms.”
If he wasn’t donning the jersey of the stars and stripes, he was playing club rugby for the Denver Barbarians in the state of Colorado from 2001-2006 and led them to the USA 7s Championships where they were runners-up in 2001 and 2004.
Upon his retirement in 2014, he was USA Rugby’s all-time leading 7s try scorer with 411 points.
