Mark Nawaqanitawase was born on September 11, 2000, to his parents, Fiona and Sevuloni Nawaqanitawase. Mark grew up in a supportive household, with his dad and mom by his side throughout his professional and personal journey.
There’s also another important figure in his life who went above and beyond to help him get where he is today.
That person is his step-father, Aisake Tovehi, whom he describes as “practically my dad.”
Unfortunately, he had to bid farewell to him after the Olympic Sevens campaign in 2024.
Mark Nawaqanitawase recently lost his stepfather to cancer!
He was excited about his Olympic appearance, but tragedy tempered his joy.
He, unfortunately, lost his stepfather, Aisake, to cancer at the age of 54. It was a tough moment for the player as his stepdad was a big part of his journey with Rugby Union.
Mark’s stepdad followed every game that he played and it was definitely going to be a big difference for him going forward without him.
He told in an interview, “I will definitely be doing it for him, a lot of it. He’s in a better place now. That’s where I’m at at the moment. I’ll be doing a lot of it for him.“
Aisake passed away after a rigorous battle with cancer just shy of his 55th birthday. He had traveled to France to watch Mark represent the Wallabies in the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
The family got the news of cancer when Mark got back from the World Cup at the end of 2023. After a bit of a battle over the past few months, Aisake was in recovery mode.
The son of a rugby player, Mark Nawaqanitawase, almost had his dreams halted due to his mom’s concerns!
Mark’s father, Sevuloni Nawaqanitawase, is Fijian and played rugby. He moved to Sydney in 1991 to play rugby league for the Balmain Tigers.
Mark followed in his dad’s footsteps and went on to participate in the 13-man code until he was 14. Then, he felt encouraged to switch to the 15-man game at St. Patrick’s College in Strathfield.
When he was 18, he promised his grandmother, Lorraine, that he would represent Australia at the 2023 global showpiece in France. He finally fulfilled that dream by making a World Cup debut for the Wallabies in 2023.
While at college, Mark decided to become a professional rugby player. However, his mom was unsure whether he’d make the big time.
So, Nawaqanitawase’s mom insisted on having a fallback option. He stated that education was a big thing for her at the time.
In an interview with The Sydney Morning Herald, the rugby player stated that learning his mom wanted him to focus on his education shocked him.
His NRL dreams were under threat from the concerns of his mother. He revealed that she wasn’t very keen on his playing league.
Mark stated, “Mums are mums and I’m her baby so she doesn’t want to see her kids get hurt or bashed up. I guess that’s every mum.“
He added that she didn’t like the idea of him getting into a brutal game, so she was still trying to get used to it. Well, his mom has now eased up and is present to support him in every match.
Additional Information
- Mark Nawaqanitawase has a brother, whose name is Albert, and a sister. He also has four step-brothers and three step-sisters.
- In a Fijian name, “q” is pronounced as “ng.” So, his surname is pronounced as “Nuh-Wonga-Knee-Tar-Wahsee,” or “Nuhwonga-Kneetar-Wahsee.”
- Mark is of mixed Italian and Fijian heritage and grew up in Burwood, New South Wales.
