“Stay grounded. Use your roots as your strength and never forget the people who supported you before anyone knew your name.”
These were the inspiring words of Fijian rugby superstar Jiuta Wainiqolo, when asked to give some advice to young boys and girls playing in the Vodafone Deans and Weet-bix Raluve competition, aspiring to reach professional rugby one day.
Just like these budding players, the humble speedster also came through the Deans pathway with Ratu Kadavulevu School in 2017.
The memory of winning the 2017 Vodafone Deans U18 trophy with RKS against Queen Victoria School (QVS) is one that Wainiqolo holds dear.
That win was a defiant statement from a team no one believed in. RKS, often overshadowed by rugby powerhouses like QVS, Lelean Memorial School, and St John’s College at the time, entered the tournament as a clear underdog.
“It was my first year in RKS and to represent the School in the U18 team and coming out as a 2017 champion clean sweep year, it’s something I will never forget,” Wainiqolo reflected.
The toast of this victory was that this same school did not even reach the Eastern Zone playoffs the previous year in the under-17 grade.
In 2017, the team was largely composed of new students, making their victory even more improbable.
The fierce rivalry between RKS and QVS, two storied rugby schools, made the final a game to look forward to.
“The bond we made as team was unbreakable until today, because we started from the bottom. We sacrificed a lot to get to the top which is winning the Deans and making history for the school in Fiji.”
Before rugby, Wainiqolo was an active football player while attending Vashist Muni Primary School and Vashist Muni College in Navua.
However, rugby was always on his mind with his biggest influence being the legendary Vilimoni Delasau.
“I love his style of playing rugby, his unpredictable in and out, footwork and being able to beat his opponents all around.
“Just by watching the Fiji 7s team when I was young, witnessing their wins and their losses, I was a big fan and a big supporter. Everyday was just rugby for me back then when I was in school.
“Watching the Fiji 7s winning tournaments in the sevens circuit inspired me to chase my dream to don the white jersey, represent my country and make the people of Fiji happy and proud,” he said.
This was exactly what the 27-year-old from Namara, Vuda, did having represented Fiji in both 15s and 7s.
Through the influence of his father and elder brother, he focused on rugby and joined RKS in 2017.
Under the coaching of Nacanieli Saumi, he represented the RKS 7s team on a tour to Australia and later played a pivotal role in their undefeated campaign in the Eastern Zone and the subsequent victory in the 2017 Deans rugby competition.
Wainiqolo’s success continued in 2018 when he was selected for the Fiji Under-20s team, which went on to win the final against Samoa in Romania. He was then offered a contract with the NRL’s Cronulla Sharks academy in early 2019, where he made an impact in the U20s before parting ways with the club.
Upon his return to Fiji, Wainiqolo joined Nabua Rugby Club on the advice of his high school coach, Nacanieli Saumi. He caught the attention of Fiji Rugby officials, leading to his selection for the Fiji Drua in the 2019 National Rugby Championship. He made his debut and scored his first try during the competition.
Wainiqolo’s performances in both the Fiji Drua and the Barbarians match earned him recognition from Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber. He was invited to join the extended Fiji 7s team for the 2019-2020 series but did not make the final cut for the tournaments in Hamilton and Sydney. However, he showcased his abilities with the Fiji Warriors in the 2020 World Rugby Pacific Challenge.
He participated in the 2021 Super Sevens Series, impressing in the Marist 7s tournament and earned a spot in the Fiji Shadow team for the Oceania 7s.
Following his standout performances, Wainiqolo was selected as part of Fiji’s Men’s Rugby 7s team for the Tokyo Olympics. Fiji successfully defended their gold medal, with Wainiqolo contributing as the top try scorer for Fiji in the tournament.
After the Olympics, Wainiqolo signed a three-year contract with Toulon and is now with another French Top 14 club, Lyon on a three-year contract that will keep him with the club until 2028.