Globetrotting referee Rugby whistle plucks Rokovereni from village
TEVITA 'Tex' Rokovereni is not your typical Fijian in that he did not play any club rugby outside of school, his parents insisting he concentrated on his education. On leaving Rishikul Sanatan College, Rokovereni was encouraged to channel his passion for the sport into refereeing by his cousin, Joeli Tubu, a vastly experienced rugby official on the Islands.
The Namara, Tailevu native has since travelled the world as a result of that decision in 2008, proudly representing Fiji on the world stage in sevens and 15s.
After impressing in local tournaments, Rokovereni was soon travelling to places he'd previously only dreamt of with the Pacific Mini Games in 2013 in Wallis and Futuna giving him his first taste of international competition.
Portugal and Papua New Guinea were the next destinations on his journey, as an assistant referee at the World Rugby U20 Trophy and Pacific Gzames in 2015. Rokovereni also gained further experience at the Stellenbosch Challenge in South Africa and the more- locally-based World Rugby Pacific Challenge before being called to the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series panel after Rio 2016. He made his World Rugby Sevens Series debut in Wellington, New Zealand in January, 2017 and he's featured prominently on the circuit ever since, officiating in both men's and women's tournaments, and also at the Commonwealth Games 2018 on Australia's Gold Coast.
A career highlight has to be the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where he refereed three matches in the women's tournament.
A firefighter by profession, Rokovereni is partway through a law degree, which he hopes to complete when he is not clocking up the air miles.
Tournaments as a refree:
HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2016-17 (Wellington, Sydney, Hong Kong, Singapore)
HSBC WRSS 2018 (Sydney, Hamilton, Hong Kong, Singa) HSBC WRSS 2019 (women's: Glendale, Dubai, Sydney, Kitakyushu, Langford / men's: Hong Kong, London, Paris) HSBC WRSS 2020 (Hamilton, Sydney)
HSBC WRSS 2022 (Singapore, Vancouver) WRSS Qualifiers: 2018, 2019 Commonwealth Games: 2018, 2022 (men's) Olympic Games: 2020 (women's)
World Rugby Pacific Challenge: 2017, 2018
World Cup Sevens: 2022
Hong Kong Sevens: 2022.
Did you know…?
World Rugby: Why did you become a referee?
TR: Seeing what people like James Bolabiu has achieved made me think I had much more potential to reach the top in refereeing than I ever did as a player.
WR: What is the best thing about being a referee?
TR: Refereeing builds your character on and off the field. I take most of the attributes of being a high-performance referee into everyday life. It is part of me in terms of the discipline and the culture.
WR: Who has been the biggest influence on your career?
TR: I would say my parents for my upbringing. I wasn't brought up with a silver spoon in my mouth, I was brought up in a village, and like any village boy in Fiji, you don't get much. I learned the value of hard work. I hope I can show youngsters now that even if you can't be a Flying Fijian or a sevens player, you can still be a rugby ambassador for Fiji through refereeing.
WR: What is the best piece of advice you've been given?
TR: Never give up. Like in life, some days in refereeing you have off-days, but it is how you bounce back from them going into the next game that matters.
WR: Favourite memory as a referee?
TR: For a Fijian especially, to referee at the Hong Kong Sevens, the Mecca of sevens, was truly memorable. It had always been a dream of mine to run out at the stadium. The crowd and atmosphere is amazing. Obviously, the Olympics is right up there as well. I spent six months away from home in isolation with the boys from the Fiji team. It was a really challenging moment, not only in terms of refereeing but also for my family. To go through that and referee at the Olympics and to see the men's and women's teams wins medals, and you are standing there seeing it live, was a real privilege and an honour. Those moments will stay with me forever.
WR: What's your favourite law in rugby and why?
TR: The deliberate knock-on, it stands out in sevens. I know for the coaches it is a headache because it seems unfair at times. But for us referees, it is one of those laws that helps to differentiate between risk and reward. ■
LAST weekend's Autumn Tests brought out the best from the Northern Hemisphere teams. Italy stunned the Wallabies by a single point 28-27, while the Les Bleus beat the Springboks 30-25, and the All Blacks outmuscled the Bravehearts 31-23.
The Flying Fijians went down to Ireland 35-17, while the Red Roses thrashed the Brave Blossoms 52-13.
Wins for Italy, France, England and Ireland just make next year's RWC 15s tournament in France interesting. Furthermore, although Scotland lost to the All Blacks, they pushed the Southern Hemisphere giants to the limit, and the All Blacks had to give in everything to ensure they maintained their winning run against the