The long-dormant Tara’s Supermarket Nausori Sevens made a successful comeback this year, drawing 56 teams and reigniting grassroots rugby in Nausori after a 15-year absence. The two-day tournament – staged with the stated aim of reconnecting communities and giving young players a place to shine – delivered broad participation from across Fiji and raised funds for a local community project.
Tournament director Malakai Yamaivava said the decision to revive the competition came from a desire to rebuild local pathways and inspire the next generation. “We are very thankful to bring back the sevens this year with the support of our sponsors and new committee,” he said, noting the event was intentionally designed to prioritise grassroots clubs. “The aim is to motivate our young players and help them work towards national selection,” Yamaivava added, recalling that the club had previously produced national representatives.
Organisers fielded 32 men’s teams alongside 16 under-21 sides and eight women’s teams, with players travelling from maritime and northern regions as well as the main islands. The wide geographic spread underlined the appetite for competitive sevens beyond urban centres, organisers said, and offered emerging talent an early-season stage to be seen by coaches and selectors.
Beyond the on-field action, the revived tournament committed proceeds to a community project in partnership with the Nausori Methodist Church. Funds will go toward constructing a walkway from the church hall to a public amenity at the back of the hall, a small but practical improvement organisers say will benefit residents who use the facilities.
Bringing the event back to life was not without difficulty. Yamaivava acknowledged limited preparation time and challenges securing sponsorship, but said the new committee and community support were decisive. Despite those hurdles, the tournament ran to schedule and attracted strong local backing, he said, a sign organisers hope will help secure greater sponsorship and make the competition a regular fixture again.
The return of the Tara’s Supermarket Nausori Sevens is the latest development in efforts to strengthen grassroots rugby across Fiji, a pathway long recognised for producing national sevens stars. By concentrating on under-21 competitions and women’s sides as well as senior men’s teams, organisers emphasised inclusivity and long-term talent development as core goals.
With community benefits tied directly to the event and a broad field of entrants, the Nausori revival looks set to continue building momentum. Organisers say they will use lessons from this year’s staging to improve planning and sponsorship outreach ahead of future tournaments, aiming to sustain a platform for players chasing selection and clubs rebuilding their colours after the 15-year gap.
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