South Island United midfielder Rovu Boyers will be desperate to get on the field on Wednesday to take on his fellow countrymen of the Solomon Kings Football Clud (FC).
The 22-year-old Solomon Island international made his OFC Pro League debut against South Melbourne on Sunday and is hoping for more game time against the club from his home country.
“It was fantastic coming on for my professional debut. A dream come true,” says Boyers, who will be facing a lot of familiar faces on Wednesday.
“It will be a bit strange because I know all of them really well, but as a professional I have to do my job for South Island United.”
Boyers may only be 22 years of age, but he has more tales from the footballing world than many seasoned professionals.
The Solomons Island international was bursting with excitement after he signed his first professional contract, after seven years chasing his football dream around the planet.
“I have been working and waiting for this opportunity for many years, so I am determined to help South Island United be successful and to repay all the people who believed and invested in my development,” says Boyers, who is particularly grateful to his family.
“They have made big sacrifices for me to be able to follow my dream, so I feel a bit of pressure to make the most of this opportunity,” says the attacking midfielder, stayed behind at the United Sports Centre to train over the holiday break, while his new team-mates spent Christmas with their families.
“It’s not a big deal. I am used to that,” smiles Boyers, referring to his nomadic football life that has taught him survive on scraps.
Boyers was born in Munda on the island of New Georgia. His mother Alison is from the Solomon Islands and his Kiwi father, Peter Boyers, became a Member of Parliament (MP) in Honiara and served as the Minister of Finance.
Rovu Boyers says his father played a vital role in his career, by allowing him to leave home at the age of 15 to tour the United Kingdom with a Solomon Islands development team in 2018.
With the support of the Solomon Islands association, several players joined the Stars Football Academy in Hastings, where Boyers played for local lower league clubs in Sussex.
When the pandemic shut down the UK in 2020, some Solomon Islanders decided to go home, but Boyers used the lockdown to extend his European adventure.
“In those four years, I really learned about football. We have all the technical skills in the islands, but in England I learned about tactics and what it takes to be a better player,” says Boyers who moved to the Greek island of Crete in 2022 to join second tier club Episkopi.
“They offered us a deal to play football, but for accommodation and food we had to help renovate a house, but none of us had any experience in construction,” laughs Boyers.
The adventure quickly descended into a Greek tragedy as visa issues restricted his appearances and lack of income forced him to take refuge in an abandoned house.
“It was a bad situation, so I accepted an invitation to go to play for a club in Sweden, but as soon as we arrived, the agent just left me there.”
The adaptable globetrotter turned another challenging situation into an opportunity when former topflight club Syrianska FC allowed him to train with the first team.
“Training with those guys, I realised I was able to play at that level, which gave me a huge confidence boost to keep chasing my dream.
“They were interested in signing me, but the visa requirements for overseas players in Sweden were too difficult.”
Boyers decided it was time to rejoin his family, now living in Northern Queensland, after five years on the road.
He moved to the Solomon Islands to play in their national league, and was soon selected for the national team in late 2024, scoring three goals in six international appearances so far.
He also drew the attention of the West Adelaide Sports Club and last year helped them claim the State League 1 title with 12 goals, including a thumping header to decide the Grand Final in extra time.
“That was an amazing final, especially because my father travelled to Adelaide and it was the first time he saw me play in person.”
With a Kiwi passport in his pocket, Boyers decided his next step had to be in the country of his father and contacted the new OFC Pro League club South Island United.
Chief Executive Ryan Edwards says the perfect timing.
“We were looking for an attacking midfielder and what stood out to the club was not only Boyers’ technical quality and composure on the ball, but also his confidence, decision-making, and maturity for his age given his overseas experiences,” says Edwards.
“Rovu represents exactly the type of player we want at South Island United — high potential, young, hungry, and coming from a strong local football culture,” says Edwards.
Boyers says he cannot believe his luck that he is part of a new professional club in a new professional league.
“It is hard to explain how excited I am to be part of a professional club with great staff and great players, where we train every day and everything is so well organised. It is truly a dream come true.”
Source: South Islands United Media
