Fijian flags fly high
A FLAG with a passport to rival even the most seasoned of travellers is arriving in Townsville ahead of this weekend’s 2021 Oceania Sevens Championship.
The Fiji flag has travelled with Fiji 7s superfans the Blue Wiggers to the last 12 Hong Kong International 7s tournaments, to three Rugby World Cups in Dubai, Moscow and San Francisco.
Blue Wiggers member and former Wallaroos player Naomi Roberts said travelling with the group was a way to keep morale high for the Fiji side.
“For the last 14 years, when the team runs out and see the Blue Wiggers big flag in the crowd, they know that a piece of the island is there with them on that field,” Roberts said.
“The flag has been travelling with us from the beginning and if it was a person, it would definitely have a great autobiography.
“Our flag custodian, Alifereti
Bulivou, is in Fiji and was able to pass on the flag to the Fijiana women’s rugby team to bring it over to Australia.
“The big flag is like our trademark now. It is a magnet for the TV cameras and photographers and we’ve got our friends and families back at home that specifically scans the TV to check the famous big flag.
“It’s amazing how many messages we get from back home saying how much they love seeing the flag and it brought smiles to them as they can also connect with the flag.”
Roberts said it was a privilege to be able to offer this kind of support to the team.
“I was fortunate to play women’s rugby in the Northern Territory and be able to wear the national colours as a Wallaroo for the 7s and 15s,” she said.
“After retiring from the game, I was able to help out with women’s rugby and in 2007, I was asked to travel with the Australian women Barbarian 7s side to Hong Kong as their coach. I got on to two Fijian childhood friends, Lusi Nailati, a nurse in Los Angeles, to come on as our medic and Selita Koroi, a business owner in Suva, to be our team manager.
“After the girls’ tournament, where our Australian Barbarian team lost in the finals to New Zealand, we neatly folded our Australian gear and pull out our Fijian colours to cheer for the men.
“We started off with huge black afro wigs but decided to change to blue afro wigs so we can stand out from the crowd, and that was the beginning of our Blue Wigger group.”
Roberts said with the flag heading to Townsville it was the closest the Blue Wiggers could get to this year’s Olympic Games.
“We were booked to go to Tokyo for the Olympics but had to cancel because spectators are no longer allowed to attend,” she said.
“We want to thank the Australian Government, the Queensland Government, ARU and Townsville City Council for allowing the Australian Blue Wiggers the opportunity to fly our flag one last time with the hope that it will send the players on with our best wishes.”
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said the city was proud to host the Oceania Rugby Sevens.
“This event is a major coup for Townsville and is an example of why our city is considered the events capital of Northern Australia,” Hill said.
“We’re expecting a boost to our local economy through the tourism and hospitality sectors, which will benefit from having an influx of rugby fans heading to Townsville for these fiercely contested matches.
“It will be great to have passionate supporters of all teams, like Fiji’s Blue Wiggers, here in Townsville to enjoy what is sure to be a fantastic weekend.”
The Pacific Aus Sports Oceania Rugby Sevens runs from Friday until Sunday at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium.