Two Wallabies greats delivered a timely boost to the Naceva Blues this afternoon, taking part in a hands-on rugby clinic at Naceva Village in Beqa as part of Rugby Australia’s Vuvale Week programme. Lote Tuqiri and Radike Samo — both former Wallabies stars — worked with the club’s players and village children, offering technical coaching, advice and sporting equipment ahead of the team’s preparations for the upcoming Marist 7s.
Head coach Epeneri Nakauso said the visit was more than a morale lift. “It’s a blessing to have these two legends here with us, the boys are excited and we’re eager to learn from them today. Even the children were so happy to have them here,” Nakauso said, stressing that the pair’s insights would help shape how the side approaches the Marist 7s. He added that Tuqiri and Samo had long been idols to many in the squad, making the clinic “a dream come true” for players who have watched them on television and in international competition.
The visit formed part of a wider Rugby Australia outreach under the Vuvale Week banner, which brought a delegation to Naceva Village alongside the Fiji Rugby Union and the Fijian Drua. Organisers say the programme aims to strengthen grassroots links across the region by combining coaching sessions, equipment donations and community engagement. At Naceva, Tuqiri and Samo led drills on basic skills, spatial awareness and defensive lines, and spent time answering questions about their own careers and the professional game.
Young players and children from the village received balls, jerseys and other sporting gear during the session, giving local teams tangible resources to continue training after the delegation left. Clinic organisers emphasised that beyond the immediate coaching, the equipment handover is intended to leave a longer-term legacy for a community that feeds many of Fiji’s rugby pathways.
For the Naceva Blues, the visit arrives at a critical preparation phase ahead of the Marist 7s, one of the domestic sevens fixtures that attract top club sides and talent-scout attention. Nakauso said the practical tips shared by Tuqiri and Samo — on decision-making under pressure and finishing techniques — would be incorporated into the team’s remaining sessions before the tournament. The coach portrayed the exchange as a rare opportunity for village-based players to learn from athletes who have experienced rugby at the highest level.
This engagement is the latest in a series of high-profile community outreach activities involving regional and national rugby figures this year, reflecting an increased focus on nurturing talent and strengthening ties between professional structures and grassroots communities. For Naceva Village and the Blues, the appearance of two celebrated internationals has provided both inspiration and concrete tools as they look to make an impression at the Marist 7s.
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