A true hero
AFTER receiving the trophy for Sportsman of the Year in 1984, Senivalati Laulau handed the cup to Jone Vatu — who was his coach, uncle and friend.
A polite and soft-spoken Laulau said he owed much of what he had achieved in rugby to his 46-year-old uncle.
The 29-year-old Nawaka hero described the honour of being named Fiji’s outstanding sports personality as simply “great, but it does not really belong to me, it belongs to my uncle”.
According to a report in The Fiji Times on December 5, 1984, Laulau’s tribute to the short and balding Vatu stemmed from his knowledge of the man and great respect for his force of personality.
“He used to play against Levula,” Laulau said
“Levula was in the Western Marine team and my uncle was in the Nawaka team and they were equally matched rivals.
“My uncle was called into the Nadi squad in his time but he refused and only played for Nawaka.”
The speedster from Nadi had no doubts that his uncle could have easily represented the country if he had decided to do so. The balding and lean national wing presented the trophy to Vatu later that day at his home.
Laulau never played rugby seriously until 1979 when his uncle took him under his wing and taught him how to outwit and neutralize players twice his size.
“My uncle is my coach and even today he tells me what I do wrong on the field.”
The once nervous rugby player was able to build himself to be ranked as one of the world’s best backs after only six seasons of top competitive rugby.
He represented Fiji in the 7s code since 1980 and was considered a genius in the game.
“The pressure is on me to perform for the people whenever I go onto the field and my uncle always helps me to do my best,” he said thoughtfully.
With a big friendly smile, Laulau spoke of his playing in the future.
“I will keep playing for Fiji’ as long as the selectors feel I can do my duty to my country.”
His intelligence and brilliant football sense had resulted in his playing test matches regularly with countries like New Zealand and Australia, and it was his ambition to see the white jersey with the black coconut emblem regain its rightful place in the rugby world.
Laulau was going to spend the off-season working with the younger rugby aspirants from Nawaka, the article said.
Amazingly enough, his humility led him to believe that Nadroga’s Emosi Katonitabua was the most exciting Fiji rugby player he had seen playing at the time.
“Emosi is the best I have seen on the field,” Laulau said glowingly of the national second five-eighth.
He had no immediate plans for his future in sports except to keep playing to the best of his ability.
He idolized his uncle and in all respects was like a mirror image of the reserved and elderly man who brought him the wide recognition which he never expected.