Rooster Chicken Fijiana Drua forward Akosita Tiva Ravato dedicated their Super W win to her late mother, Unaisi Vuni­waqa Ravato.

She was her biggest supporter.

The day the Fijiana Drua defeated Waratahs 32-26 at AAMI Park, Mel­bourne was her late mother’s birth­day.

Originally from Navuloa, Ovalau, Lomaiviti, her mother would have been celebrating her 54th birthday.

“I dedicate this win to her, she was my biggest rugby supporter and my role model,” Ravato said on Satur­day after the match.

Before switching to rugby, Ravato was a basketball player and repre­sented Fiji at 15 while at Yat Sen Secondary School.

Rooster Chicken Fijiana Drua forward Akosita Tiva Ravato.

Her Why’s

The 31 year-old mother of two from Vuaki, Yasawa made her de­but in 2013 when she played in the 2013 Oceania 7s championship in Noosa, Australia.

“I play rugby for my sons Puna and Joel Ethan Marr,” she said.

“My whys are my boys,” she said.

“If their mummy can play rugby they can also play rugby or what­ever sport they want to play.”

Ravato’s younger sister Lyanne is following her footsteps. She now plays for the Suva women’s un­der-19 in the ANZ Marama Cham­pionship.

“I remember as early as eight-years old watching Ako be the only girl playing touch rugby at our humble home in Draiba Fijian school compound,” sister Wilona said.

“Somehow rugby came naturally to Ako. We grew up with a very strict and disciplined family where sports were discouraged because of the importance of education and finding the right career path.

“My (late) mother , an educator in trade however silently and support­ively through the many years of up­bringing fought for Ako to continue and try to balance the pressure of both- rugby , career goals and life,” she added.

“Having her represent the coun­try as early as 15 years old for bas­ketball then to date for the Fijiana is truly a testimony of the little belief and encouragement of my mother who like no other kept Ako sane during each tournament, prepara­tion and event in her life.

“I feel like regarding Ako as a superstar would be too big of a description but a humble warrior with a fighting spirit; to thrive is definitely fitting for her character,” Wiloma said.

Ravato holds a Post grad Degree in Pure Science and was a lab techni­cian at the then British American Tobacco.