Rugby my passport to the world: Soejima
Rugby was my passport to the world, says veteran Japan rugby 7s forward Kameli Soejima.
Born and bred in the chiefly village of Nasekula, Labasa, in the province of Macuata, Soejima told World Rugby that he took up rugby at the age of 17.
His dad Eroni Latianara, played lock and was a former national rugby triallist while his older brothers Emosi Tatawaqa represented the national rugby team as a flanker while Meliki Baleicakau was a former national rugby hooker.
Baleicakau’s son Jope Tuikabe was a former national rugby 7s and 15s forward. He was a member of the national rugby 7s team that won the 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
“My dad was my first coach, my cousins all played rugby,” Soejima said.
“They kept asking me when I will play but probably I didn’t have the confidence at that time.”
Soejima said things changed when his mother died during his final year at primary school.
“I missed my mum. It was pretty hard because I was mummy’s boy. Growing up and things I’ve done I know she would have been proud of them.”
Turning point
He said the pain of losing his mother became the turning point of his life because he realised that he had to do something about himself.
“I started to believe in myself and began playing rugby. My team played at local tournaments around Fiji and this took me to the place where the women (who later became my wife) was working.
“After she left Fiji we always kept in touch and one day she asked me if I wanted to come to Japan. We kept it as a secret,” Soejima told World Rugby.
“While there, I told her that she should tell her dad. Yes, it was not an easy day when I came to meet him. By then I was already in Japan for two months and they had decided to get married.”
Soejima said while in Labasa, he was a construction worker so when he moved to Japan, his father-in-law arranged that he works for a construction company.
“I was unknown then and unable to speak Japanese. I was laughed at when I told them that
I wanted to play for Japan,” he recalled.
He joined a club and often told that it was impossible for him to represent Japan.
“That made me worked extra harder and I had to change my passport to qualify. I was selected to attend a trial and made by debut in the World Sevens Series tournaments in Dubai and South Africa.”
Challenge
Soejima said he faced a huge challenge after that when he torn his ACL and had to undergo rehabilitation.
“During rehab I almost quit rugby but managed to hold on. I had to work hard to play at the Rio Olympic Games in 2016. And again he had to do the same for the Tokyo Olympic Games.”
At 38, Soejima is still playing for Japan at the World Sevens Series.
He has now become an iconic figure for the Brave Blossoms 7s national side.
This weekend he plays at the France 7s in Toulouse where they face Argentina, England and Canada in Pool A.