Lami Steelers captain Naomi Tegu has successfully secured a spot on the Fiji Bulikula team for the upcoming Pacific Bowl Championship match against the Cook Islands on Saturday.
The 18-year-old student from Richmond Methodist High School made the journey from Kadavu to join the rugby league academy led by Vodafone Fiji Bati head coach Wise Kativerata.
“I was in Kadavu last year and we were unaware that Coach Kativerata and his team would visit our school for rugby league clinics,” Tegu shared with SUNsports yesterday. “At that time, we had no knowledge about rugby league, and I was serving as the deputy head girl.”
Tegu explained that Kativerata encouraged her to register her name for the Fiji women’s national rugby league team, inviting her to attend a training camp during the two-week holiday break.
“I traveled over with a teacher during the first week of the break, and that’s when I began my rugby league journey,” she said. Despite lacking experience with the sport, Tegu committed to training diligently.
“I only knew how to pass, and after the camp ended, while other academy participants returned home, I chose to stay at Kativerata’s house,” she added. This led her to continue her training daily, ultimately joining the Lami Steelers team for the local women’s league.
As captain, Tegu led her team to the semi-finals of the Fiji National Rugby League Women’s premiership tournament. “I didn’t anticipate being selected for the Fiji Bulikula squad or playing in the centre position,” she admitted.
Expressing her excitement about being part of the team, Tegu stated that their captain, Holmes, has consistently encouraged the players to bond and work cohesively on the field.
Tegu emphasized the importance of a solid defensive strategy against the Cook Islands team. “Each player must fulfill their roles, such as running their lines and ensuring our defensive setup is secure without any gaps,” she concluded.