Developing the community holistically is the main priority of the newly introduced Navakalecaleca sevens rugby tournament for this year.

Former Fiji Corrections Service officer, Tomasi Daunitutu, is the brain behind the tournament, which is to be held from July 22-23. He said the two-day event would be the first of its kind to be organised by a mataqali in the village of Lami.

“The amount of talents around the communities surrounding the village is huge and this event will also shed light to some of those unexposed talents,” Daunitutu said.

“For the past years, Lami has produced first class rugby players who have made a name for themselves around the country and the world as well. Recently, youths have been led wrong paths, dropping out of the school system, being pushed away by parents and the society with no motivation for their future betterment.”

He said the tournament would give them something to work for.

“If the likes of Aporosa Daunivucu, Dan Ligairi, Kini Murimurivalu Junior, Niko Verekauta and Vinaya Waka to make a name for them so can they.” Money raised from the event will be forwarded to the community development programme for Mataqali Navakalecaleca.

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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