Naituyaga hopes to carry on late father’s legacy

Malolo number eight Aminiasi Naituyaga (Jnr) hopes to continue the legacy left behind by his late father and namesake.

His father Aminiasi Naituyaga (senior) was nicknamed Steelman for his physical style and was a member of Fiji’s 1997 World Cup Sevens winning team. He passed away in 2002 at 28.

Naituyaga was called into the squad after an impressive outing for Malolo during the Skipper Cup season. He was among the eight new players who joined the Fiji sevens squad this week.

“I have been trying to get to the sevens squad for quite a while and I thank God for this opportunity,” the 30-year-old said.

“I know my late father donned the white jumper in the same code and I want to carry on that legacy.”

Naituyaga (Jnr) was part of the Malolo side which lifted the Skipper Cup on November 1.

He hails from Nayawa, Nadroga, and shares maternal links to Korotogo, Baravi, Nadroga.

Four of his teammates are also in the training squad; they are Isaia Rugu, Esala Nalobo and Tomasi Tawake.

They are part of the 33-men squad where two teams will be selected from– 14 men for an invitational Korea 7s tournament while 13 men will be named today for the HSBC Dubai 7s from November 28-30.

The development squad will head to Korea on November 26 while the team for Dubai leaves on Sunday following their i-tatau on Saturday.

Meanwhile, other new players include Naitasiri’s Sakaraia Soqonakalou, Kaveni Roseru, Lautoka’s Apimeleki Nasalo and Ratu Kadavulevu School duo Lemeki Senikau and Suliano Savenaca.