Quick Facts
Biography
Sairusi Naituku (Lomaiviti, 26 February 1961-Lautoka, 7 June, 2016) was a former 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, Paulo Nawalu, Elia Rokowailoa, Koli Rakoroi and Epeli Rakai. 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 85kg). 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 Fiji squad, coached by Jo Sovau and George Simpkin, in the tournament he played 3 matches. His last match for Fiji was against Japan, at Tokyo, on 4 March 1990.
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, Lautoka at the age of 55.