Former Lelean Memorial School Deans captain Dagan Kaierua has recently returned to Fiji, taking on a new role as vice president of the Nauru Rugby Union. He believes that the Nadi Junior Rugby Festival has provided his young players with invaluable experiences that they have been lacking back in Nauru.
Kaierua, who led Lelean’s Deans U19 team in 2003, explained that the junior teams in Nauru face challenges in accessing proper contact rugby due to inadequate facilities. As a result, the opportunity to participate in the Fiji tour represents a significant step in the players’ development.
“Our lack of a proper ground means that our development has been slow, particularly in contact sports,” Kaierua noted. “We’ve brought players aged 10 to 16, who have missed out on the actual contact aspect of rugby. This festival is truly an eye-opener and provides great learning experiences for our kids.”
In addition to enhancing rugby skills, Kaierua emphasized the importance of the festival in instilling core values that the Nauru Rugby Union aims to foster in its young athletes. He stressed the role that rugby can play in promoting discipline and character development both on and off the field, which is essential for the players’ future.
“Rugby instills discipline in schools—this is significant considering we face challenges such as school attendance and community involvement,” he explained. “The values of rugby as promoted by World Rugby are something we firmly believe in.”
With limited competition opportunities in Nauru, Kaierua views Fiji as an ideal venue for gaining meaningful match experience. “Unfortunately, we don’t have many clubs to compete against, so playing various clubs in Nadi and around Fiji allows the kids to showcase what they’ve learned throughout the year,” he said.
Looking ahead, Kaierua expressed a desire for Nauru Rugby to make participation in Fiji an annual part of its development plan. This vision holds promise for fostering a new generation of rugby talent in Nauru, enabling them to grow and flourish in their beloved sport.
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