Mataiasi Stark 
File Photo
Fijian rugby icon and Olympic bronze medalist Rusila Nagasau is using her remarkable journey, one that began with cultural pushback and family resistance, to inspire a new generation of young girls to break away from traditional expectations and chase their sporting dreams.
Growing up as the only girl among four boys, Nagasau said rugby became her escape, even when it clashed with what was expected of her at home.
“Growing up with four boys, and I was the only girl, it was kind of hard. I was playing every day with them. My mum came out and yelled at me to help her out and do the dishes, but I didn’t care because I was into the game.”
But when she finally told her mother she wanted to play rugby, the answer reflected a mindset still common in many communities.
“She said no. She said, ‘You can’t do it here, that’s a man’s game.’’
Nagasau said many girls face the same cultural pressure she once felt.
Despite family members criticising her decision to pursue the sport, Nagasau credited her mother and grandmother for standing firmly behind her.
“They pushed me to where I am right now. Even though our family talked about me, told me not to play rugby, negative comments she was there to help me achieve my goal and where I am today.”
Today, as one of Fiji’s most decorated female athletes, Nagasau is determined to make the path easier for the girls who follow. She has become a vocal advocate for young players, urging families and communities to shed outdated ideas about what girls should or shouldn’t do.
Her story, once shaped by resistance, is now a driving force behind her mission, to push more young girls onto the rugby field and help redefine what is possible for women in Fiji.
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