Yato to Nasove: No Room for the Weak
Rookie Flying Fijians flanker tells of the challenges he faced
To wear the Flying Fijians No.7 jumper is for the brave and not the weak.These were words of France-based loose forward Peceli Yato to Rusiate Nasove after his selection for the July Test matches.
“Yato keeps telling me that wearing the number seven jersey is not for the faint-hearted,” Nasove told SUNsports. Yato and Nasove are cousins as they hail from the village of Narewa, Waicoba in the province of Nadroga/Navosa.
Yato, who was renowned for his fearless attitude plays for Clermont in the Top 14 competition. He was not selected due to injury.
“Yato reminded me to be strong in the mind and physically as well to match
my opponents. He tells me to keep working hard during every training session. ‘Whatever you do off the field you will also do it on the field’ were his words to me.
“Yato always stressed that in this position whatever stands in my way should fall. That challenges me everytime I run into the field.”
After a sterling performance for the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in the Super Rugby Pacific competition, Nasove also excelled when he was pushed to the wing where he scored a try from his first touch of the ball.
However, the soft spoken lanky forward was not carried away nor expecting to be named in the Flying Fijians squad.
Nasove said when he heard Flying Fijians head coach Vern Cotter announced his name, all the thoughts of his early struggles came flooding in.
“I started playing for the village team and things were tough,” he recalled.
“Later, when I made the Nadroga rugby team, the journey even became much harder.
“It was tough. I had no money to pay for my van fare to training. I had to ask
the van drivers if they could get me to the training venue then I’ll pay them later. This is because I would get paid after the game on Saturday.
“My fare from the village to Sigatoka was $2.50 one-way so both ways it was $5.
“When I get my $50 payment after the game I always make sure to pay the drivers.”
Nasove said after he was dropped from the Fijian 7s team to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, he returned to the village before he got the call to sign with the Drua.
“I never dreamt to be part of the Flying Fijians team this year. When I heard my name announced by the head coach, I was very emotional.
“Looking back it was really tough, the sacrifices and commitment I had to go through to get to the Flying Fijians.
“I had patience and kept believing in the Lord and myself.”
Nasove indicated that he prefers to play at the side of the scrum.
He believesthis is where his strength lies