Dream start
Flying Fijians road to Japan start on a high note
AS John McKee and the Flying Fijians celebrate their dream start to September’s Rugby World Cup final preparations in Tokyo, Japan in September a bigger challenge looms in Rotorua and a win there will only prove that they are as powerful as the heroic 1957 Fijian team who last beat the New Zealand Maori.
McKee’s men finally shrugged off a 62-year-old monkey riding on Fijian rugby backs with a convincing 27-10 pulsating victory at a warm and sunny ANZ Stadium in Suva on Saturday, July 13.
The 1957 Fijian team was rated one of the best in the world because they thrashed the highly rated Auckland 38-17 and beat the New Zealand Maoris in both Tests, an achievement Fiji never repeated. Many predicted that they could have beaten the All Blacks had they been given the chance.
However, before we all get carried away by last Saturday’s victory perhaps a voice from history will be the best tool for the Dominik oW aqa nib urotu captained side before they fly off into Kiwi territory and the rugby land.
“The weather is not an excuse for you to lose this game.”
Those were the words of the late Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau, who was manager and co/coach of the 1957 team and perhaps the not so secret code that motivated the team to win both Tests under chilling conditions in Dunedin and Wellington. It meant a totally changed attitude.
Both Tests were played in cold, icy conditions and the first Test was played at Carisbrook Park in Dunedin and the second Test in Wellington.
In the second Test saw the Maori make wholesale changes and used foul tactics to try and disrupt the Fijian concentration.
But team manager Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau and his coach Apakuki Tuitavua were veterans and had played in the 1939 unbeaten tour of New Zealand. They were aware of all the tactics Kiwis were going to adopt and had forewarned the players.
The team’s halfback Suliasi Vatubua in his rugby memoirs printed in the BOOT magazine of 1995 said “the weather was not in our favour and this was a drawback”. Ratu Penaia later became the country’s President and the paramount chief of Cakaudrove.
He knew how to select his words to create the impact intended. “We were shivering but we were reminded that the weather would not be an excuse for us to lose,” Vatubua related.
“Ratu Penaia had spoken to us and stressed that we were chosen out of the hundreds and we would be playing a team that was selected from thousands of good rugby players.
“Have Fiji at heart and be proud of your country,” Ratu Penaia told the players.
“Play to win and all of Fiji would be eagerly awaiting the result of this Test.
I have faith in all of you and that you should remember that you are the gallant sons of Fiji ready to fight a battle here at Carisbrook Park thousands of miles away from home ...
“I have faith in all of you and that you should remember that you are the gallant sons of Fiji ready to fight a battle here at Carisbrook Park thousands of miles away from home.
“You are not alone here at Carisbrook Park as the blessings of your chiefs will be with you while you are playing.”
Before the second Test Ratu Penaia told them not to retaliate when the Kiwis adopted illegal tactics. “We were told by Ratu Penaia to play to win and go back to Fiji victorious,” Vatubua said.
The Fijians again played open, running rugby using long passes from one side of the field to the other and sidestepped around Kiwi tackles.
They were able to continue to play their own game disregarding the foul tactics aimed to disrupt them. In the end Fiji won both Tests and this is only one of the many examples that showed the effectiveness of chiefly influence among Fijian rugby men.
McKee and his coaching team however will all be familiar with the situation ahead of them and the big picture is the Rugby World Cup.
While winning in Rotorua will be an important factor he is expected to make wholesale changes to the team to try out the different combinations.
Last Saturday a number of players may have forced their way into his first Test lineup against Australia in September including a couple of new men such as Filipe Nakosi, younger brother of Josua Tuisova. Nakosi was impressive every time he received the ball keeping the ball alive to set up scoring chances for his inside men. Deuba man Waisea Nayacalevu was impressive and his two tries definitely booked himself a spot in McKee’s lineup.
Now the outside centre position has a lot of depth with Semi Radradra there too and a couple more who will try and prove themselves in the coming Test matches.
Competition for spots in the final Flying Fijian team is high and Semi Kunatani played openside flanker and performed the role perfectly in defence and attack.
The sandhill training definitely gave our men the edge in the scorching heat and the Maori were lucky they kept the score 0-12 in the first half.
Viliame Mata’s explosive game continues to impress and his powerful surge past his opposite Akira Iowane and the cover defence was unstoppable on his way to scoring his try while his replacement Nemani Nagusa showed his experience of playing top rugby in Europe.
Flyhalf Ben Volavola made brilliant passes and breaks and improved his concentration on his kicking in the second half while Alivereti Veitokani drew roars from the crowd with his incisive running and sleight of hands.
He scored Fiji’s first try exploding through a gap with blistering speed.
The Kiwis are expected to regroup and come out stronger in their defence and improve on their attacks.
Being the first game for both teams the Flying Fijians and Maori are expected to up the tempo and improve in their cohesion and teamwork.
Fiji’s tight five worked overtime in the scrums and mauls to contain the Kiwis, while the lineouts needed a lot of work before Rotorua on Saturday.
A lot of questions were answered last Saturday and the suspense of seeing how good our initial team preparation fared was answered.
We can proudly tap ourselves on the back and repeat the Fiji rugby slogan of: “It is Fiji’s time.”