WOMEN’S rugby have come a long way but what many are not aware of is that women’s rugby was first introduced by the St John’s Marist Club.
Since its inception, women’s rugby has today continued to grow and has further contributed to the success of the tournament.
This is an article written by the late former journalist Robert Matau before his untimely passing last year.
This is the origins of women’s rugby in the country.
Former women’s national rugby rep Laijipa Naulivou remembers those days vividly when she was asked by old friends who were connected through basketball, rugby or the often rowdy after match days at one of Suva’s two rugby clubs —— the then Saint John’s Marist Club in Suva. Naulivou, then a formidable national hockey player and White Fire netball player, was approached by the late George Reade and former national rep Pio Bosco Tikoisuva in 1989 to be part of the bigger International Rugby Board’s vision to introduce women’s rugby on a global level. Rugby and netball runs thick in her family’s blood. Her sister Salote Naulivou Panapasa was a double national rep in netball and basketball. Her close cousin is the legendary Nadroga and Fiji lock forward Ilisoni Taoba and her nephews are former Nadroga skipper Jiko Matawalu and Fiji skipper Akapusi Qera. The first official women’s tournament attracted 16 teams including the St John’s Marist Rugby Club led by the towering Tubou Lakeba native.
“St Johns Marist team one included Tupou Nawalu wife of former Fiji and Japan rugby rep Paulo Nawalu, Laijipa’s sister Salote, Maopa Nawalu, Merewai Sokovata and Makereta.
“Lomaiviti had the likes of some top netball players while Police was led by veteran Mereoni Veibose and Army comprised of the women recruits including Tulia Takala.
“There was a White Fire team made up of my fellow White Fire netball team like Viki Tuxson, veteran Arieta Rokowaqa-Tamanivalu, Caroline Whippy, Annie Tokona and Soko Rauluni to name a few.”
Naulivou recalls the stigma they had to face in those early days, particularly among a crowd not used to seeing women playing a men’s sport.
“It was a chance in a life time to play rugby, a male dominated sport —— so it was great fun and we just wanted to play,” she said.
“I speak for myself though and I didn’t care what other people said mind you we were called names and got snide comments like —— sa tagi na gone, lako e vale laki meimei (the babies are crying go home and tend to them) or ‘na kakana me la’ki saqa’ (you need to cook the food).
But forgive the puns the game went on, Naulivou and her motley crew got their jerseys dirty, and the rest was history. White Fire led by Tuxson beat St John Marist to win that first tournament and thus women’s rugby stamped itself as a permanent item at the St John Marist sevens. After that Naulivou led St John Marist to back to back wins from 1990 to 1994 before she left the club to form the Queen Victoria School Old Boys side that won back to back wins.
“I salute those club members who were behind this move and are no longer with us people like George Reade, Ratu George Cokanauto Mara, Manueli Nawalu, George Sailosi, Vili Rasigatale, John Moses, Aisake Nadolo (who played for QVS but was always at the club being an ex MBHS student who helped us get there), Naulivou said.
“The first Fiji women’s team that left the Fiji shores was in 1997 and they played in the Hong Kong 7s.
“Marist Rugby Club president Rafaele Kasibulu led the fundraising to finance the teams participation at that event,” Naulivou recalls.
The team was coached by Suva referee, Ioane Tukana, managed by- Caroline Sorby and was led by Naulivou and supported by Merewai Sokovata, Lisa Saukuru, Mere Lutuciri, Venina Taka, Merewalesi Bulou, Losalini Karavaki, Makelesi Moce, Seruwaia Vonolagi, and Amber Stevens.
Marist Rugby Club president Lawrence Tikaram paid tribute to people such as Laijipa Naulivou Vicki Tuxson and officials such as the late George Reade and Pio Bosco Tikoisuva, who had the faith that one day women’s rugby would flourish.
“Nau Tape and Elenoa are also in a class of their own in terms of today’s administration and coaching of women’s rugby,” Tikaram said.
Just as our men’s 7s has developed to be global innovators and masters of the game, women’s rugby will equally soar, given the right resources, infrastructure and sponsorship support. It’s in our genes to make what others can only dream to aspire to. This compound’s to the belief in equal opportunity at the Marist Rugby Club.
