New Zealand based- referee Susana Sotutu is excited to be part of the Mana Whey Fiji Coral Coast 7s tournament which kicks-off today at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka.

The 19- year- old is the niece of former Flying Fijian and Auckland fullback Waisake Sotutu.

“I’m excited to be here again this year,” she told SUNsports yesterday.

“The competition is growing and there will be more excitement building up as well. It is good to see that George Gregan is here and I think the quality is going to be getting better and better each year.”

Sotutu also played rugby before she took up refereeing. This enabled her to learn more about the laws and understand the game better.

Over the past year, she has been given a lot of refereeing appointments by the Auckland Rugby Referees Association (ARRA).

“My referee career has been good I have just recently transited to Auckland University and so I was refereeing up North, which is a change. So it’s been a good challenge working with the secondary school boys there and I am looking forward to the Coral Coast Sevens this year.”

She joins other NZ referees like Steve Salton, Paul Van Etten, and Richard Loten, who are here to officiate in the tournament.

“I arrived in Fiji two weeks ago and went to Tavea in Bua to visit my family.  It’s great to be back here in Fiji especially to meet my relatives.”

Edited by Leone Cabenatabua

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