Mataiasi Stark 
Joji Nasova
He walked to training on an empty stomach, cut cane by day, and chased dreams on the weekends.
From the dusty paddocks of Ba to the YMCA grounds in Suva, Joji Nasova held tight to one thing: rugby.
He lost his mother as a teenager and made the difficult decision to leave school.
“My rugby journey started right here in this village. I lost my mom when I was in Year 10 and decided to leave school. I farmed and got into sugarcane cutting, and on Saturdays I’d play in our local club games.”
He held tightly to his belief that rugby was his calling and kept praying for an opportunity.
With no fare, he walked to training. With no food, he trained anyway.
His move to Suva saw him rise through the Dominion Brothers club ranks, from under-19 to senior level, braving tough conditions but never letting go of his dream.
“Sometimes it felt impossible. But I always gave thanks to God, after every hardship, there’s always something better.”
After a stint playing in China, a standout performance at a local tournament earned him a call-up to the Fiji 7s extended squad under former coach Ben Gollings.
His international debut came when Osea Kolinisau took over the team.
Two years later, Nasova has reaped a great reward in signing for the Drua for the 2026 season.
Nasova says that Current Drua coach Glen Jackson approached him after the match between the Drua and the National 7s side during the Coral Coast 7s earlier this year and told him that they were interested in signing him.
He was overjoyed by the news as it was a goal he had set to achieve.
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