Former All Black offers to help Fiji rugby
FORMER New Zealand All Black Arthur Jennings of Nadi made a planned comeback to rugby - not as a player, but as a coach or selector.
Jennings played in the All Blacks 1963 trials and finally made the grade in the 1967 All Blacks tour of the United Kingdom, France and Canada.
In an article reported by The Fiji Times on December 18, 1976, Jennings wanted to coach Nadi and even aimed to be a Fiji national selector.
After many years of top international rugby in New Zealand, he planned to establish a junior rugby competition at Nadi the following season.
He strongly believed that to improve Fiji rugby standards, the sport needed to be taught from a younger age.
“The fundamental basics of rugby should be taught at this level,” he said.
Jennings also intended to form a St Mary’s Marist Club at Nadi.
During his rugby career in New Zealand, Jennings was a prominent figure of the Bay of Plenty provincial side, which he captained against Tonga and Fiji in 1969 and 1970.
He resembled the “pine tree” (Colin Meads) on the 1967 All Blacks tour of Europe, according to an article from the Auckland Star newspaper.
Jennings said the standard of rugby in Fiji had dropped drastically.
“Fiji lacks in quality coaches not because we have not got them, but so many have the attitude that they are better out of the game than taking part in the free-for-all,” he said.
Jennings was introduced into senior rugby by one of Fiji’s outstanding rugby figures, Hector McDonald, of Sigatoka, at Northcote Rugby Club in New Zealand at the age of 17.
Former lock forward Jennings said one of the reasons for Fiji’s failure in the past Australian tour and the colts tour of Tonga was that top officials took their positions too much for prestige and name.
Tabualevu also had more tour experience than anyone in Fiji, he said.
He added: “Although it is me saying it, only Brian Wightman and I have more experience to offer to Fiji rugby than Inoke Tabualevu.
“Either one of us would have added qualities to lift Inoke’s present coaching and ability that could have made the difference we were missing,” Jennings said.
Jennings has had international coaching by, for example Ron Byrnes and Freddie Allen.
He had played with New Zealand all-time greats Dick Conway, Dinny Moli, Bill Potae, Mark Herewini, Waka Nathan and the famous Don Clarke.
He has also attended many coaching clinics and later became an instructor himself.
Fiji needed somebody of such calibre. For Fiji’s past tour of Australia, tight play was emphasised to the players even before they left the country.
Jennings said Fiji’s greatest strength in world rugby was our unorthodox play, natural ball handling and ability to play the running game.
“Why haven’t our coaches capitalised on these points in the past.
“I can only put it down to lack of experience. It would be silly to take a team to the UK, New Zealand and Australia and expect to beat them at their own game.
“In no way can we expect our boys to match the sophisticated approach of these countries with their technical approach and application to the game.
“Give and teach the Fiji players the fundamental rules and techniques and then play to their natural talents and ability.”
He added: “Someone who tries to change the old unorthodox style of Fiji rugby to a tight game will kill Fiji’s hopes of winning and does not deserve any credit at all.”
“Now that I have watched and familiarised myself with Fiji rugby I am only too willing to help to lift the standard here.”