Source: Fijian Drua/ Twitter

Former Rooster Chicken Fijian Drua Women’s halfback Noelani Baselala had to make some tough decisions earlier this year. She chose to pursue her educational journey, giving up her spot at the franchise.

While this is an important year for women’s rugby with the World Cup approaching, Baselala opted to fulfill her parents’ wishes and focus on her education instead of chasing her World Cup dream.

The former Adi Cakobau School student said she was given one option to study in the medical field.

She applied for physiotherapy courses so she could stay connected to the sport she loves.

After trying to convince her parents to let her take a break from school to play rugby this year, the response was a firm no.
They wanted her to stay committed to her studies.

The Kadavu lass says becoming a pilot was never part of her plan.

“Getting a scholarship is a real big blessing, there were 500 students that applied for the scholarship but only 20 were selected. At the same time I’m sad because I wanted to be part of the World Cup and travel and all that.”

But things changed quickly when her mother, Elenoa Baselala, messaged her to let her know that Pacific Flying School was still taking in students.

Following the media content day earlier this year, she was asked to sit for a test.

Baselala was one of many students who sat the test hoping to earn a scholarship. She admitted to nearly losing hope, seeing the large number of candidates around her, all vying for one of the 20 available spots.

The 19-year-old says she felt truly blessed to be one of the 20 selected out of more than 500 applicants.

Still, it was a heartbreaking moment knowing that accepting the scholarship meant walking away from her dream of being part of the Fijian Drua.

She was also selected part of the extended squad at the recently concluded Oceania Rugby Women’s XV Championships that concluded over the weekend in Sigatoka where the Vodafone Fijiana succesfully defended their title.

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