EVERY sibling that has ever represented Fiji in the same sport and in the same team, can attest to just how special the moment was.
This was the story of brothers Jikoibau Matawalu and Akapusi Qera who donned the Flying Fijians jersey together in 2006 during the inaugural Pacific Nations Cup.
Matawalu surged into the national rugby scene later than his younger brother Qera.
This as the former Flying Fijian prop was heavily committed to the sport of cricket until a rugby program at the University of the South Pacific changed the course of his journey.
His journey took him to the rugby-crazy province of Nadroga for his professional work and it was where he was moulded as a rugby player.
While in Nadroga, Matawalu was reminded of the path of his late uncle and former Flying Fijians lock Ilisoni Taoba and this only strengthened his growing passion for rugby.
After years of dedication and hardwork, the Lau lad’s opportunity came in 2005 when he was called up to join the Flying Fijians for their Europe tour.
“I was called up for the game against Wales but I didn’t take the field but just sitting there on the bench was so sweet, looking back at the struggles and challenges, all the grassroot paths that we came across and to be there in a foreign country, playing against Tier One nations, that in itself was sweet, even before taking the field.
“The following week, we played Portugal. I started that game and that took us to another level. The experience is very different because all those faces, family, teachers, your coaches that were with you along the way started to pop up. You are there singing the national anthem was something that… I can’t even find the words to describe that feeling,” he said.
A year later, Matawalu hit another milestone, and he was shared the same field with his younger brother Qera at the first PNC in Samoa.
“We never dreamt that one day we will be representing the county and secondly, that both of us will be playing in the same team on the same game. We lost that game but that was one of the moments that I really cherished, looking back at our paths as brothers,” Matawalu added.
The thought of giving back to the sport lingered in his mind when he hung his boots and he did just that through the Fiji Rugby Union where he currently serves as the operations manager.
