Mataiasi Stark 
Source: Fiji Rugby
Tuvalu’s participation in this year’s Nadi Junior Rugby Festival has become one of the most inspiring stories of the tournament, marking a major breakthrough for a nation that has long struggled with facilities, resources, and exposure to competitive rugby.
For many of the young players, it was not only their first time competing overseas, it was their first time ever leaving Tuvalu.
Head coach Alama Elisaia says the experience is exactly what the country’s emerging players desperately need, especially given the limitations they face at home.
“The whole purpose of our tour here was just to expose our boys. These are all new boys as they have been just playing local rugby at home on the runway. This is a good chance for them to absorb as much as we can from other Fijian clubs and other teams.”
Elisaia says preparing the team required overcoming enormous challenges, from the lack of a proper gym to the absence of a standard training ground, forcing players to train on the airport runway. School commitments and the late end to the academic year also made age-grade selection difficult.
“There wasn’t a proper gym… in Tuvalu we do not have a proper gym. We usually train on the runway. It was difficult, but through the passion of the boys, we managed to form the team.”
The coach says the festival has also given Tuvaluan parents, especially mothers, a new sense of pride, as the country works to grow both men’s and women’s rugby despite limited numbers.
The Nadi Junior Rugby Festival wrapped up yesterday, featuring over 95 teams from Fiji, Tuvalu, and Nauru.
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