McDonald’s Fiji Drua Women loosehead prop Karalaini Naisewa celebrated one of the biggest moments of her rugby career reaching her 30th cap in style as the Drua defeated the Queensland Reds Women 31-5 in their Super Rugby Women’s home semi-final at Churchill Park in Lautoka yesterday.
The experienced front-rower described the occasion as a blessing, admitting she never imagined she would one day achieve the milestone in the Drua jersey.
“It’s very special. I wasn’t expecting to reach these 30 caps, but I want to thank God for giving me this talent,” Naisewa said.
“Without Him I couldn’t make it this far. I also thank the girls, my family and the management for trusting me to do the work.”
The occasion became even more memorable when Naisewa scored the second try in the first half with a five-pointer.
She said running onto the field, her only focus was ensuring her 30th appearance would end in a win.
“It just came to my mind that my 30 caps needed to be special to me,” she said.
“Without the girls it wouldn’t be special. Thank you to the girls for this moment. It was a very special 30 caps for me and scoring that try made it even more special.”
Despite the convincing performance, Naisewa believes there is still work to be done before the home grand final.
She identified defence, tackle execution and set-piece accuracy as areas the team must improve if they are to lift the title next weekend.
“I think it’s just our defence going into the final and some of our tackling and set piece, so we’ll brush off the semi-final, learn from our mistakes this week and make it a good final next week,” she said.
Naisewa dedicated both the victory and her personal milestone to her family, thanking them for their unwavering support throughout her rugby journey.
She also acknowledged the passionate Drua supporters who packed Churchill Park, saying their energy played a significant role in the team’s success.
“I dedicate this win to my family for always supporting me and to the fans for coming out in numbers,” she said.
“Without them we couldn’t make it this far. Next week, come out in numbers again and support the girls.”
Naisewa will be hoping her memorable 30th cap becomes the perfect steppingstone towards adding a Super Rugby Women’s title to an already unforgettable week.
