SOUTH AFRICAN RUGBY LEGEND BRYAN HABANA AND FAMILY HERE
Former Springboks winger Bryan Habana, wife Janine and children Gabriel and Timothy arrive at the Nadi International Airport on January 13, 2019. He is in the country as chief guest for the 2019 Coral Coast 7s tournament.
Habana recently played for Toulon in the French Top 14 competition and for the South Africa national team.
He was part of the South Africa team that won the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was one of the stars of the tournament, his eight tries equalling the single-tournament record set by Jonah Lomu in 1999. He was subsequently named the 2007 World Rugby Player of the Year.
Bryan Habana believes the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians will make a mark at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in September in Japan.
The former Springboks wing arrived with his family yesterday to be the chief guest at the 2019 McDonald’s Fiji Coral Coast Sevens which kicks off on Wednesday at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka.
He said with the inclusion of overseas players like Nemani Nadolo, Josua Tuisova and Semi Radradra, the Fijians will be one of the teams to beat.
“Fijians are fantastic players and they will be definitely a force in September,” he said. “2019 is a big year with the World Cup in Japan.”
Habana vividly remembers when the Mosese Rauluni -captained side gave the Springboks a run for their money at the 2007 RWC quarterfinal.
“I played against Fiji once at the World Cup in 2007. We almost lost the quarterfinal game (37-20) in Marseille.”
Fiji is in Pool D with Australia, Wales, Georgia, and Uruguay.
Habana was awarded the Player of the Year Award at the 2007 World Rugby Awards. He announced his retirement on April 24, 2018 from all rugby at the end of his French Top 14 club Toulon’s season.
Habana vividly remembers when the Mosese Rauluni -captained side gave the Springboks a run for their money at the 2007 RWC quarterfinal.