Waisake Naholo’s dream of donning the All Black Jersey has become a reality but for his father Aporosa Naholo hearing the news of his son becoming an All Black brings back the memories of the struggles they went through as a family.
This as they had to struggle send the wing to New Zealand to further his studies and achieve his rugby dream.
Speaking to FBC Sports Aporosa Naholo says his son has reaped the fruit of his hardwork and he has kept his promise to his father that he will be successful and repay his parents all that they have done for him.
Aporosa says he could not stop his tears as he remembered the times they have to go without food in a week just to raise $7,000 to send his son to New Zealand.
“We really went through a lot of sacrifice regarding of his departure and everything concerning his school work out there, it’s very true as we live in a village life and it’s very difficult to go through every day with that kind of life to support Waisake we really went through those kinds of circumstances with nothing in the family but we have to accomplished what he has set for his career.”
Aporosa says he spoke to his son before their match against the Chiefs over the weekend encouraging him to show his full potential and everything would fall in place.
“The very utmost thing I mention to him that I have said before that everything he will be doing in the rugby field, let his let his action in the field glorify the lord, in every aspect of areas of his playing in the field for the whole 80 minutes to play accordingly to what they been planned for him to do I also encouraged him to play with his utmost strength to be included in the squad.”
It was an emotional moment for the family when Waisake called his parents in Nadroumai Village in Nadroga to inform them that he was selected for the All Blacks.
Unwanted by Blues coach John Kirwan after the 2013 season, Naholo then moved to the Highlanders and this year the former Cuvu College student has set a season-high record of 10 tries for the franchise.
