Napolioni Bolaca

Napolioni Bolaca
Full nameNapolioni Ratu Bolaca
Date of birth (1996-11-20) 20 November 1996 (age 28)
Place of birthLautoka, Fiji
Height178 cm (5 ft 10 in)
Weight90 kg (198 lb; 14 st 2 lb)
SchoolAndhra Sangam College
Rugby union career
Position(s) Fly-half
Current team Fijian Drua
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2022 Fijian Drua ? (?)
Correct as of 27 September 2023
National sevens team
Years Team Comps
2019– Fiji 9
Correct as of 10 February 2022
Medal record
Men's rugby sevens
Representing  Fiji
Summer Olympics
Gold medal – first place 2020 Tokyo Team competition

Napolioni Ratu Bolaca[1] (born 20 November 1996) is a Fijian rugby sevens and rugby union player, who has played for the Fiji national rugby sevens team since 2019. At club level, he has played for Fijian Drua. Bolaca was the top point scorer in the 2019–20 World Rugby Sevens Series. He was part of the Fijian squad that won the rugby seven tournament at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics.

Club career

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At club level, Bolaca has played for Yasawa in the rugby union Skipper Cup,[2] and in rugby sevens competitions.[3] He has also played for Barbarians in the Fijian Super 7s Series.[4] He missed part of the 2020 Skipper Cup due to an injury.[2] Whilst playing rugby in Wadigi, Bolaca was spotted by a journalist who recommended him to Fijian head coach Gareth Baber.[5]

In September 2021, Bolaca signed for Fijian Drua ahead of the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season. He was recognised as one of Drua's first ever signings.[6] In April 2022, he was critical of a lack of game time for Drua,[7] and in May 2022, his contract with Fijian Drua was terminated.[8]

International career

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Bolaca made his debut for Fiji national rugby sevens team in the 2019 Singapore Sevens event of the 2018–19 World Rugby Sevens Series.[9] He scored two tries and five conversions in the final of the 2019 Paris Sevens event, as Fiji won the World Sevens Series.[10] He played for Fiji in the rugby sevens event at the 2019 Pacific Games in Samoa.[11]

Bolaca was the top points scorer in the 2019–20 World Rugby Sevens Series, with 159 points.[1][12] He scored two tries in the final of the 2020 Sydney Sevens, as Fiji beat South Africa.[13] At the 2020 USA Sevens event in Los Angeles, Bolaca won the Impact Player Award.[14] The first day of the 2020 Canada Sevens in Vancouver was nicknamed the "Bolaca Show", after he scored three tries, including a breakaway try in the match against France.[15][16] He was awarded the Pressure Play Award for best try in the Sevens Series, for one of his tries in the Sydney Sevens final.[2][17] He was also named in the Sevens Series Dream Team.[2][18] Fiji head coach Gareth Baber said that Bolaca was the team's best player in the 2018–19 and 2019–20 World Rugby Sevens Series,[1] and has called Bolaca "the future of sevens rugby".[5]

Bolaca was selected in the Fijian squad for the 2021 Oceania Sevens Championship, a warm-up tournament prior to the 2020 Summer Olympics.[19] In July 2021, he was named in the Fijian squad for the rugby seven tournament at the Olympics.[20] He started the final against New Zealand, which Fiji won 27–12.[21] Bolaca was a nominee for the 2021 World Rugby Men's Sevens Player of the Year, which was won by Marcos Moneta.[22]

Following the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific season, Bolaca returned to sevens training with Fiji.[23] He was in the Fijian squad for the 2022 France Sevens and 2022 London Sevens events.[24] Bolaca missed the 2022 Oceania Sevens Championship due to an injury.[25]

Personal life

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Bolaca is from Lauwaki, Fiji. He has four older siblings, and his father has worked as a coach of the Lauwaki rugby team.[5]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Bolaca: Top Playmaker". Fiji Sun. 30 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  2. ^ a b c d ""I Want To Earn A Living Playing Rugby"". Fiji Sun. 1 October 2020. Archived from the original on 31 October 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Yasawa will be without Fiji 7's stars in their first ever Farebrother Sullivan Trophy Challenge". Fiji Village. 3 October 2020. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  4. ^ "Teams from same pools make Super 7s Series semifinals". FBC TV. 23 January 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "Bolaca's rise in the 7s". Fiji Times. 9 February 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021 – via PressReader.
  6. ^ "Fijian Drua unveil first five signings for Super Rugby Pacific". Radio New Zealand. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 20 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Bolaca Wants More Game Time". Fiji Sun. 27 April 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  8. ^ "Conduct nullified Bolaca's treatment chances". Fiji Live. 15 March 2023. Retrieved 27 September 2023.
  9. ^ "Olympic dream still burning bright for Fiji 7s team". Radio New Zealand. 25 September 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Fijians end season in style to reclaim 7s world title". The Straits Times. 4 June 2019. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Fiji favourites at Pacific Games Sevens". Samoa Observer. 11 July 2019. Archived from the original on 29 April 2021. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
  12. ^ "Points Scored". World Rugby. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  13. ^ "Sydney Sevens: Fiji edge South Africa in final". Sky Sports. 2 February 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  14. ^ "FRU praises performance of the national 7s team". FBC TV. 3 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  15. ^ "Rugby World magazine's Stars of 2021". Rugby World. 21 February 2021. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  16. ^ "Vancouver 7s: The Bolaca Show". Fiji Sun. 9 March 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Bolaca wins Pressure Play Award". FBC TV. 22 September 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  18. ^ "Bolaca and Tuimaba in World Sevens Series 'Dream Team". FBC TV. 22 September 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2021. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
  19. ^ "Fiji name Sevens squad that gives glimpse of team they'll send to Olympics". Rugby Pass. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2021.
  20. ^ "Fiji name squad to defend the Olympic Games sevens gold medal in Tokyo". Rugby Pass. 4 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  21. ^ "Rugby Sevens – New Zealand vs Fiji – Gold Medal Match Results". Olympics.com. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 July 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2021.
  22. ^ "Marcos Moneta is feeling on top of the world after award | World Rugby". www.world.rugby. Retrieved 20 December 2021.
  23. ^ "Bolaca Back In Sevens". Fiji Sun. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  24. ^ "Tuwai out, Kunatani and Bolaca return". Fijian Broadcasting Corporation. 13 May 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
  25. ^ "Rawaca named for Oceania 7s". Fijian Broadcasting Corporation. 22 June 2022. Retrieved 18 July 2022.
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