7s World Cup glory the sweetest of all
IT was a year that would still have Fijian sportspeople licking the tip of their lips in admiration as they reminisce some of the finest performances from our fabulous teams and star individuals – not overlooking some of the bitter disappointments.
Fijian sportspeople reached heights unmatched in rugby but mostly they failed to outshine the world or the region in many other battles.
Fiji is known the world over as the 7s kings and that is the lone arena that the blue banner flies the highest and proudly – forever more.
Fiji men’s triumph at the Sevens World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa has to be the biggest sporting achievement of 2022.
This was special as Ben Gollingscoached Fiji got hold of the gold plated Melrose Cup for the third time and the first since 2005 in Hong Kong – a long 17 years between drinks with unsuccessful campaigns dating to Dubai 2009, Russia 2013 and San Francisco 2018.
Not many will stand up to dispute that this has to be the crowning glory for Fijian sport this year.
In 2018 – the 7s side was unsuccessful at both the Commonwealth Games and the World Cup but four years on and they managed to turn the most prestigious asset into gold in the Cape Town dessert.
If there was any other sport – judging by the participation numbers and sponsorship dollars – Fiji football’s under-20 side proved a hit as they made it through to the Junior World Cup.
And I must acknowledge and I would be naïve if I didn’t mention the Fijian Drua and the stark achievements in their maiden journey in Super Rugby, the Fijiana Drua women, the Fijiana 15s rugby team and the Fiji football Kulas.
The Kulas won the hearts of so many fans and attracted huge crowds at the Stadium and in front of TV’s during the Oceania Championship, but it was heartbreak for them after going down to Papua New Guinea in that winner take all final en route to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
And what about the Fijiana Drua? They stole the early sports limelight and were a super hit as they tore through the Australian franchise teams in the Super W competition. I still remember that I had to be at a local rugby broadcast commitment and the Super W final was also on that Saturday – on the drive back from Sigatoka, I could hear cheers from homes along the highway and that was wonderful music to the ears knowing that women’s rugby is here to stay.
That Drua dominance turned into a huge disappointment when the Fijian 15s failed to advance past pool play at the World Cup.
World Cup win
It wasn’t all plain sailing for Fiji after the Olympics gold medal triumph in Tokyo in 2021.
Our side failed to fire in the first two tournaments then they didn’t get on the flight to Malaga and Sevilla events of the World Series as COVID worries plagued the team and looked to hinder our new coach and his band’s World Cup aspirations.
Following that, Fiji 7s reached 4 finals winning 2 and getting a bronze medal to wrap up the five tournament calendar which saw them finish third overall – 2 points behind South Africa and 4 behind eventual winner Australia. Simply laid out is that if Fiji attended the Spanish leg of the World Series – Gollings would have won his first World Series crown too.
The Fun Flavour FRU 7s Series became the cornerstone for Coach Gollings and his squad as they were put in an incinerator situation game after game – minute after minute which helped sharpen their skills and made our warriors lethal ahead of the big dance in South Africa.
With some change in personnel Fiji took on the world and two-time Olympic champions were in a dazzling class of their own – sweet it has to be as Jerry Tuwai’s men defeated New Zealand who was aiming to win their third World Cup crown.
It’s one loss – now double that which New Zealand will remember for ages as Fiji beat the silver ferns in finals in Tokyo 2021 and Cape Town 2022.
A lot of folks woke up on that fine Monday morning (September 12) to watch the highly anticipated final and the blockbuster clash – Fiji vs NZ, 2022 World Cup final while enjoying breakfast with top of the voice cheering, some got to work early to be able to watch the big game with friends and colleagues and live dreams as history unfolded in world sport by a group of merry-men from a tiny Pacific nation thousands of miles away.
The start of the final was like a soldier had loaded the M-16 rifle and forgot to control the trigger and it just went off…. bang! ..... Joseva Talacolo followed by Kaminieli Rasaku and the Fijians knew there was a storm brewing in the desserts from the South Seas Islands.
It was a topsy-turvy second seven minutes and for me it seemed like the longest half of sevens rugby that I had to watch in front of the box…..two sin-bins and Waisea Nacuqu forced-off injured – it all added to the spicy final – do you recall that the game ended with 6-a-side rugby.
One of the finds of the season Pilipo Bukayaro had the last say in the final and boy – let’s break out and play Freddy Mercury and British band, Queen’s song “We are the champions”.
Sitting in Suva brought memories fresh back from 2005 when mercurial Waisale Serevi led Fiji to win the World Cup in so Kon Po in Hong Kong. The joy and delight of the victory in Cape Town have to be the talk of the sports fraternity in Fiji in 2022 and with the sports awards coming up soon – Gollings, Tuwai and Fiji 7s will rank amongst the top candidates for more honors in the New Year.
RIP King of football
Waking up yesterday was a tough one – as I learnt that the King of Football had passed on. I was on my phone going through world news and sport stories which is a usual norm as soon as I open my eyes – and there was the story about Pele.
Pele – Brazil’s mighty ‘king of football’ is no more as heavens have got the star striker for eternity.
The man commonly known as black pearl was regarded as one of football’s greatest players as he spent nearly two decades enchanting fans with his magic and dazzling his foes as football’s most prolific scorer and the only man to win three World Cup titles.
King Pele – Eternal!
Happy 2023! Keep working hard and reaching for the stars – there are no shortcuts to success.
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