WEEKEND READING. Scroll down for items on • the Pacific Islands Forum •Sir Paul Reeves and Rupert Murdoch
Allen Lockington is a self-employed customs agent and business consultant who has regular articles published in Fiji. I thank Allen for permission to reprint some of them in this political blog. They remind us that life goes on, whatever the political situation. And it's good to know that.
Sevens rugby is said to be Fiji's national game
Well, what can we cay, we have been the kings of sevens for many years while the rest of the world played catch up. I can say that we rang rings around the rest of the world. Remember the days when we would score in the nineties and a few times in the hundreds? When we played the small nations like Chinese Taipei the score line would be that high, amongst many other countries. In recent times these countries have caught up and a few have taken pass us.
How about fifteens? Fiji was a threat to world rugby in the past. Now the bigger teams score huge margins against us, they have gone way ahead from where they were with us. Take the game between Fiji and New Zealand All Blacks, masquerading as the New Zealand 15. It was held at Buckhurst Park on the 11th of June 1974. Great names like Rodney Samuels, Ravuama Latilevu, Watisoni Nasalo, Vilikesa Moceluto, Atonio Racika to name a few, played their hearts out during that game. I have the pleasure of speaking to Mr. Rodney Samuels who wore the number six jumper. He said that the boys just played their hearts out and their aim was to win. The game went into injury time which was more than the required time. I am told it was almost fifteen minutes long, otherwise Fiji would have beaten them. Then Bryan Williams their winger scored to give the New Zealanders the win.
But that aside, Fiji used to match big teams back in the old days. What has happened to that style of rugby?
What can be done to bring back the glory and toughness and tenacity that Fiji was once known for?
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