Sairusi Naituku (26 February 1961, in Lomaiviti – 7 June 2016, in

Lautoka Lautoka () is the second largest Local government in Fiji, city in Fiji. It is on the west coast of the island of Viti Levu, in the Ba Province of the Western Division, Fiji, Western Division. Lying in the heart of Fiji's sugar cane-growing r ...

) was a Fijian rugby union player. He played as a prop He was the captain of Fiji secondary school and Fiji Colts and was one of the first Fijians to secure a rugby contract in South Africa, playing for the South Pacific Barbarians, a team made up of players from Fiji, Samoa and Tonga that went to play a rebel tour in the apartheid-era South Africa.

Biography

Naituku was only four years old when his family moved from Nacavanadi village, Gau. He was educated first, at Annesly Infant School, and then, at Draiba Fijian School days, where he met fellow Fijian internationals such as

Tomasi Cama Tomasi Camaneisenirosi is a Fijian former rugby union footballer. He played for Nabua Rugby Club in Fiji and won 14 caps playing for making his test debut 10 August 1985 against at Ballymore, Brisbane scoring a try. He played four tests in th ...

, Paulo Nawalu, Elia Rokowailoa, Koli Rakoroi and

Epeli Rakai Epeli Rakai (born circa 1961) is a Fijian former rugby union footballer. He played as hooker. Career His first international cap for Fiji was during the match against Solomon Islands, in Apia, on 8 September 1983. He also took part at the 1987 ...

. He made progress in his rugby career after being named to play in the Fiji schools national rugby union team, which he captained. He also captained the Fiji Colts team against Tonga.

Career

He first started his career on the wing and later shifted to number eight because of his size (1.78 m and 85 kg). As number eight, his first cap was against Solomon Islands, at Apia, on 8 September 1983. He played his first match as prop in 1985 against Samoa when the then-head coach Senitiki Biaukula asked him to shift from his usual number 8 position and played tighthead prop. He also was part of the

1987 Rugby World Cup The 1987 Rugby World Cup was the first Rugby World Cup. It was co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia – New Zealand hosted 21 matches (17 pool stage matches, two quarter-finals, the third-place play-off and the final) while Australia hosted 11 ...

Fiji squad, coached by

Jo Sovau Ratu Josateki Sovau (born Nadi, 1951 – April 2005) was a Fijian rugby union player, coach and Taukei Naua. He played as a prop. Career His first international cap for Fiji was during a match against New Zealand Māori, at Christchurch, on ...

and

George Simpkin George Dreadon Simpkin (22 May 1943 – 7 May 2020) was a New Zealand rugby union coach, known for working with the national teams of Fiji, Hong Kong and Sri Lanka. He made a great contribution to the development of rugby union and rugby seve ...

, in the tournament he played 3 matches. His last match for

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...

was against

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

, at Tokyo, on 4 March 1990. He also had the privilege to play for Eastern Province Rugby during his career in the Eastern Cape, Port Elizabeth in 1992 alongside fellow Fiji teammate Leveni Duvuduvukula. During his time for Eastern Province he also played for the PE Harlequins on club level. After retiring from his player career, Naituku coached the Natabua High School Boys Section team, who won the Coca-Cola Games in 2015.

Death

On 7 June 2016, Naituku died at Natabua Housing,

at the age of 55.Rugby fraternity mourns former Fiji 15s rep
/ref>

Notes

External links

* Fiji international rugby union players Fijian rugby union coaches Fijian rugby union players Rugby union players from Lomaiviti Province Rugby union props 2016 deaths I-Taukei Fijian people 1961 births 1987 Rugby World Cup players {{Fiji-rugbyunion-bio-stub