EVERY day before sunset and again at dawn, Nacani Boginisoko is at the Lautoka Wharf.
In the evenings, he drops off fishermen, then rises early the next morning to collect them and their catch before heading out to sell the fish.
Every step of the way, he carries not just fish, but the weight of responsibility for his young family. The daily routine to the wharf is not just a place of work — it is the starting line of a journey defined by sacrifice and dreams.
But when the call came from Fiji Airways men’s 7s team head coach Osea Kolinisau, naming him in the national squad, the Naivakarauniniu man from Kadavu, who has maternal links to Nadroga, faced a challenge that tested his heart, his discipline, and his dream.
“For me, the most important thing is balancing my family duties with my dream of representing Fiji,” the 26-year-old said.
“This call is well deserved after years of commitment, even when it meant putting my family’s needs behind as I chased this sporting dream.”
Kolinisau was touched by how Boginisoko would call to explain that he might be late to training because he needed to sell fish to earn money for his young family.
In his debut tournament in Singapore last weekend, Boginisoko quickly made his mark, scoring the decisive try against South Africa in the semi-final — a moment he said “not only sealed my team’s place in the final but announced my arrival on the international stage”.
He said that, in the heat of competition, it was impossible to forget his first game.
“This is a testament to resilience, sacrifice, and the unwavering power of my family, my dream, and God’s purpose,” the father of two said.
Reflecting on his journey, he said he was grateful to the coach and management for believing in him and understanding his situation.
“I don’t want to be a burden on my wife’s family, where we stay. I just want to work hard and use what I do to push myself to never give up.”
Looking back on his debut HSBC SVNS tournament, he said every point he scored carried the weight of his family responsibilities, long mornings selling fish, and his dreams.
The two worlds — family provider and rugby player — he said, are inseparable.
“For me, it’s a reminder that sometimes sacrifices pay off — not only through medals and trophies, but through love, duty, and the desire to create a better life for those I care about.”
