Nawaka 7s | ‘New find’ legacy, new gym targeted

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The victorious Fire team celebrate after winning the Fiji Bitter Nahehevia 7s tournament at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka last Saturday. The side is one of the favourites to win the Fiji Bitter Nawaka 7s at Prince Charles Park in Nadi this weekend. Picture: JONACANI LALAKOBAU

The organisers of the 37th Fiji Bitter Nawaka 7s tournament are adamant to continue the legacy of producing Fiji 7s stars.

Organisers highlight what they call ‘a new find’ in all their tournaments, something they have been doing in past years.

Some big names have come out of the Nawaka 7s tournament and the same is expected this weekend.

“Every year we have a new find, we don’t use the term best player, we choose a potential player that will make a name for himself in the Fiji jersey.

This tournament has produced a number of stars since it started, Viliame Satala was discovered from here while playing for Namoli, Lemeki Duidomo from Nawaimanu, Red Rock’s Lepani Nabuliwaqa, William Ryder of PWD Bure, Yamacia had Sevuloni Mocenacagi and last year’s new find was Ponipate Loganimasi of Uluinakau rugby.

That I can say is our contribution to Fiji Rugby by identify raw talents and promoting their name through the tournament,” tournament director Maleli Ranawai explained. This is set apart from their contribution to their people.

“This is a vanua-based tournament so a major chunk of what we’ve raised goes back to the obligations we have to the vanua of Nawaka, towards education and the church as well.

“We’ve been running this tournament for so long and the target this year is to build a gym for our youth. We have decided to put aside other obligations and focus on fulfilling this aim that we have had for a long time,” he added.

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