The Emori Bolobolo coached- Vatucere rugby 7s side will make their debut at the Fiji Bitter Nawaka 7s tournament at Prince Charles Park, Nadi, on Friday.

The team are based at Rakiraki Village in the province of Ra.

The village is renowned for producing top national rugby players like the  late Jone Ravu, who played first five-eighth for in the 1950s, utility back Lario Ratilava in the 1970s, lock Emori ‘Skylab’ Katalau who partnered Simon Raiwalui at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in France and former national 7s winger Emori Bolobolo who played at the 1995 Hong Kong 7s tournament.

Learning experience

The team’s technical adviser Sakuisa Vedewaqa said the players are made-up of Fiji National University students and village youths who have dropped out of school.

He added this is a great learning experience for the players who want to continue on from where their rugby greats have left off.

“The team has been playing in 7s tournaments around Ra but it’ll be the first time for us to play in a big tournament like the Nawaka 7s,” Vedewaqa said.

“There is a bigger shoe to fill indeed for these lads. Who knows this Nawaka 7s might be the platform of another rugby icon for Vatucere Rugby.”