[Source: Getty Image]

Fijiana 7s bronze medalist Lavena Cavuru had to overcome some personal battles to live her rugby dreams.

The Naitasiri lass grew up playing touch rugby in her village thinking 7s rugby was only a sport for men.

It was only until she came to Suva, that she discovered that rugby is an all-inclusive sport.

The 7s Olympian says it took her a lot of thinking before she could join a rugby team.

“It was not my plan to play rugby. I grew up knowing that rugby was not for women and I thought that Fiji was not going to head in that direction. But, I knew that I loved rugby and I was confident that I will be good at it.”

Cavuru played football for some time before deciding to join a 7s team.

She hopes to maintain her place in the national squad and represent Fiji in the Commonwealth Games.