‘Suva of the North’
ROCHDALE may be more than 10,000 miles away from Fiji, but the town at the foothills of the South Pennines in Greater Manchester, England has been referred to as the ‘Suva of the North’.
This is because of Fiji’s close connection to the town’s rugby league club — the Rochdale Hornets — which dates back to the 1960s when the relationship was first forged.
It was in this wet and cold countryside that the first two Fijian rugby league pioneers in the great Joe Levula and Orisi Dawai arrived in Rochdale to begin a rich history and relationship with the
Hornets that continues today.
On Thursday night, the club paid tribute to contribution of Fijian players by presenting the Bati squad with warmup jerseys for their clash against England this morning.
The outfits are based on the colours of the Rochdale Hornets team in the 1960s.
“The jersey does not only represent Rochdale, it represents a long history of Fijian players coming here and playing for our club,” a club official said.
“Today, 14 players of Fijian nationality, of Fijian heritage, have played for Rochdale Hornets. It’s the history of our relationship that we really celebrate.
“We like to think that we may be 10,000 miles from Fiji but Rochdale is where Fijian rugby league began. Everytime Fijian rugby league players come back to Rochdale we’re always proud to welcome you back, it’s your second home in the cold wet North.
“Jokingly, given the number of Fijian players we’ve had, the Rochdale Hornets supporters call Rochdale ‘the Suva of the North’.”
Jovilisi Taira, who has been called up for the Bati, plays for the Hornets.
Meanwhile, the leader of the Rochdale council Neil Emmott, the town’s mayor Ali Ahmed and other councillors joined the Fiji Bati squad at a gala civic dinner at the Norton Grange Hotel to welcome the team ahead of their 2022 Rugby League World Cup campaign.
The town wished the Bati the best for the tournament.
Bhe Bati will open their RLWC campaign against Australia on October 15 at Headingley Stadium in Leeds.
The side faces Italy seven days later at Kingston Park, Newcastle before wrapping up the pool games against Scotland on October 29 at Totally Wicked Stadium, St Helens.