Domitila Naita savoured a milestone moment this week as she made her debut for defending women’s champions Freshet Navy at the 50th edition of the Fiji Bitter Marist Sevens, injecting fresh blood into a side determined to retain its crown. The 20-year-old from Bua said stepping up to the senior Navy outfit at such a high-profile tournament was both special and demanding.
Naita’s rugby journey began at Adi Cakobau School, where she featured in the under-18 side before being recruited to the Navy civilian team three years ago. Through consistent training and determination she earned a call into the senior squad, a progression she described as the product of hard work. “It’s been hard because they won last year, so it’s a big challenge to us to defend the title again this year,” she said after making her first appearance for the champions.
While relishing the debut, Naita made clear her ambitions extend beyond club rugby. Wearing the white jumper of Fiji is the ultimate target, she said, and playing for Navy at the Marist Sevens is a step on that path. “I’m trying to make it to the national team but for now I’ll take one step at a time, but first I’ll have to give it my all and help my team defend our title,” she added.
Freshet Navy captain Lavenia Tinai, a former national representative with 16 years involved in the sport, has taken an active role mentoring the incoming generation. Tinai said she relished the opportunity to give back to a game that has defined much of her life and welcomed the arrival of players like Naita into the senior setup. “Rugby is a male-dominated sport in the country but women’s rugby has really progressed over the years and I’m confident we will see more new talents in the competition,” she said.
Tinai’s stewardship illustrates the pathway Navy is cultivating: identifying talent at schools and civilian club level, then integrating promising youngsters into a championship side to accelerate their development. Naita’s rise from school rugby through the Navy civilian ranks to the senior squad at a marquee event underlines that pipeline and highlights the growing depth in the women’s game.
Naita’s debut is the latest development in a wider story of growth for women’s rugby in Fiji, with established players and emerging prospects mixing at the Fiji Bitter Marist Sevens. As Navy strives to defend its title at the tournament’s semicentennial edition, the progress of players such as the Bua native will be watched closely by selectors, coaches and supporters alike.
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