Fiji Pearls defender Kelera Nawai. [Source: Daily News]

Fiji Pearls defender Kelera Nawai has signed for Wellington-based club Te Wānanga o Raukawa Pulse for the 2021 ANZ Premiership netball league.

The lanky 23-year-old moved to New Zealand from Fiji to join St Andrews College in Christchurch on a scholarship in 2014.

Nawai was involved in Canterbury netball for several years, taking her to the 2017 Mainland Beko Netball League while also being a training partner for the Tactix.

After having visa issues, Nawai returned to Fiji in 2017 where she played for the national team including attending the 2019 World Cup where she attracted Taumaunu’s interest.

Nawai returned to New Zealand in 2019 where she continued to pursue her netball career.

Netball Central Director of High Performance, Wai Taumaunu says Nawai has made the transition from the small South Island town of Methven to the bigger smoke of Wellington in a bid to resurrect her career at the elite level.

Taumaunu says Nawai has the ability to play both goalkeeper and goal defense with great presence was what attracted them to her.