Votualevu Revives Rugby Club After 30-Year Hiatus
It has been thirty years since Votualevu last had a rugby team, but efforts to revive the club have finally come to fruition.
Located near Nadi International Airport, Votualevu has historically been a rich breeding ground for many of Fiji’s national rugby sevens and fifteens stars.
During its peak, the club produced notable players such as legendary flanker Iokimi ‘Iron Man’ Finau, who captained Nadi and the Flying Fijians in the 1980s. The Rabaka brothers—Samisoni, Tomasi, and Saula—also made a significant impact, playing for the Cavaliers under the late Don Collingwood. Both Samioni and Tomasi later went on to play for the Flying Fijians. Additionally, the club was home to another top sevens player, winger Benji Navunisalevu.
The club’s legacy extends beyond rugby, having also produced top footballers like former Nadi and national striker Usaia Visawaqa and Akariva Ramusu.
Club president Waqa Vulawalu highlighted that the Votualevu Housing area had faced numerous challenges over the years but aims to reshape its image by reviving the rugby team.
“We want to change the perception of the area, and one of the ways to achieve this is by bringing back the team, which had been defunct for 30 years,” Vulawalu stated. He emphasized the potential of rugby to help young men secure contracts with overseas clubs, providing new opportunities for their families.
“We have about 120 youths in the area, most of whom are school dropouts and unemployed. We aim to bring them together for the betterment of the community. We also have a gold mine within our reach: the Drua franchise and the bigger picture of fighting poverty to some extent,” Vulawalu added.
The community, along with various denominations, has united in support of this vision and mission.
The club’s team manager is Vikatoria Rabaka, and the team chaplain is Seremaia ‘Tablee’ Visawaqa. The team has already started training to participate in the next rugby sevens tournament and plans to compete in the Nadi Rugby Union in the near future.