EIGHT-YEAR-OLD Elijah Laucala-Rao is working hard to become a good rugby player in future like his idols and rugby 7s superstars, Waisale Serevi and Jerry Tuwai.
He plays for the Veiuto Primary School under-9 team in the Suva Kaji rugby competition.
He was accompanied by his father, Reginald Rao to the games yesterday.
Rao said parents played an important role in the lives of their children.
“This is if they want to make them successful,” he said.
“It is good to prepare children from grassroots level to make them good rugby players. There is a good set of players playing for our school team.”
Reginald said rugby helped discipline his son.
“My son started with the introduction of rugby program at Veiuto Primary School. As a parent, it is not easy assisting them. It is good that we have got him into rugby instead of him watching television at home during his leisure time.
“There are a lot of potential players in Fiji and there are stiff competitions. Every child wants to play and represent the country. I always tell him to play to the best of his abilities.”
Rao and his parents travel daily to Suva from Navua.
“I like rugby,” he said.
“My favourite players are Waisale Serevi and Jerry Tuwai. I like them because the way they play.”
Results:
U9: MBPS won by default over JWPS, GPS 12-0 MBPS 2, VPS won by default over St. Marcellin Primary School, MBPS One 33-0 MBPS 3, AOG wbd JWPS, SMPS 21-0 Holy Trinity, Stella Marris wbd VPS, SPS 12-0 MBPS 4. U10: SMPS 7-0 Veiuto, JWPS wbd MBPS 1. U11: MBPS 1 17-14 Veiuto 1, AOG 7-7 SMPS, Stella Marris wbd Samabula Primary, MBPS 1 7-0 JWPS, Marist 2 0-25 Veiuto Primary. U14: St. Marcellin Primary School 0-0 MBPS. Champions Trophy: Holy Trinity 10-7 JWPS, MBPS 10-5 Holy Trinity
