Fijian captain Kevin Naiqama has revealed to The Fijian Times that he was told as a youngster he would be too small for the NRL.

“At the time I was told, I was disappointed but at the same time I was given a choice to accept what they said to me or not accept it and keep working harder,” Naiqama said.

“So, I knew at that time when I received that news, I was not going to get any taller. And I was real fast. I was probably 16 when I was told that I was too small for NRL.

“It wasn’t by one person that I can remember, it was by a few people. It was coaches at that time for the development system that I was involved in. It wasn’t a shock to me, you know it’s hard to know that you can’t grow any taller to be the same height as everyone else, I was given a choise to accept that or to fight it.”

After locking down a long-term spot in the Wests Tigers backline, Naiqama will now lead his nation in a World Cup.

“I have to give God all the glory and all the thanks because He was in my corner at that time. He knew that I was going to play first grade, what it took was for me to believe that.”