THE first ever rugby team Andrew Durutalo played for was Stella Maris Primary School way back in 1998 and coached by Nesbitt Hazelman.
According to Durutalo, they went on to win the under-12s that year. At the time, he just enjoyed playing rugby “for fun like any other Fijian kid”.
His then-coach Hazelman said Durutalo’s selection in the USA Eagles was an extremely great achievement for him and his family.
“Fiji should be proud. He has always set very high standards for himself — he had to grow up at a very tender age after losing his dad,” Hazelman shared.
“Andrew was a hard worker. He listened diligently and did what was expected of him as a frontrower in the under-12 Stella Maris champion team of 1998. He only knew one way in those days and it was straightforward.
“You could imagine the fear on the opposition when they saw this chubby young lad running straight towards them. He would attract so many players all trying to bring him down.” At that early age, Hazelman said, he could see the determination in his attitude towards training and on game day.
“He was a fierce competitor who led the young forward pack from the front,” Mr Hazelman said.
“He also had a gentle side in that he consoled players who found the going a bit tough. Andrew had the hallmarks of a good leader and I and the team would often call upon him to captain the side because of these traits.”
At an early age, Mr Hazelman said, Durutalo was a competitive person by nature as well as a humble and quiet achiever.
“That, I believe, has helped him to where he finds himself in today’s professional world of rugby.”
Mr Hazelman said Durutalo was a modern robust forward with the strength to match the best in the world.
“Like most Fijians, he is able to off-load in a tackle. He is deceptively fast for a big man and more importantly is his ability to read the game very quickly,” he said.
“His only weakness, in my view, is his Fijian flair. Sometimes the US team cannot read his play and this gets him isolated.”
