SIXTEEN-year-old Ema Masi is the latest Fijian to join a state rugby team in Australia for the Gold Coast 7s tournament next month.
Masi, a former student of Holy Trinity Anglican School in Suva, was drafted in the first-ever Queensland School Girls team for the tournament, which will be held on October 13.
She moved to Australia with her parents in 2008 where she was exposed to different sports at school level.
Ema’s mum Mereani told Times Sport her daughter is a sports enthusiast and enjoys playing different sports.
Mereani said Ema, who is in Year 11 at the Redbank Plains State High School, started with netball at the age of eight.
“She plays club netball every Saturday. With the netball season ending last week, her team won the Division 2 (in the state netball schools competition),” Mereani said.
“Ema represented her school in volleyball in August, winning gold in the under-16 Division 3 at the state Volleyball Senior Schools Cup at Toowoomba.
“Senior Schools Cup is the largest volleyball competition in Queensland with 185 teams entering in this year’s event.”
Mereani said Ema was following the footstep of her older brother, who plays for Wests in the Brisbane grade competition every Saturday.
Ema, who plays hooker, also gets her inspiration from uncle and former Fiji 7s rep Aloesi Qio.
“Ema has just started playing rugby last month after being approached by her teacher and coach Mr Ratu Maseinawa to play for an inter school competition,” Mereani said.
“She was among the best 30 players from the competition, who were chosen to trial for the state team on September 1. She impressed there to make the final cut.”
Mereani said Ema was excited and looking forward to represent Queensland and Fiji at the tournament.
“We, as parents are very proud of her achievement. The whole family is very supportive of her playing and we can only thank God for her talents and the ability to play the different sports,” Mereani said.