A big thank you to England, Samoa, South Africa, New Zealand, Wales, Scotland, Canada, Kenya and the rest of the teams.Without you the games wouldn’t have been so fantastic, you gave us your best.
You lifted your game and we had to lift ours to win the Wellington Sevens.
We wondered if we would ever top the table again.
Kenya is the most improved team and what an improvement.
We had to revisit our drawing board many times trying to find the formula that comes so easy for the great Gordon Tietjens.
We changed our style, we experimented, we tested –– we lost and we were ridiculed by our own people.
Our fall from the top meant that you other teams had brand new drawing boards, brand new tricks, faster and bigger men.
You did everything to topple us and topple you did.
Even the mighty New Zealanders were cut down.
We did everything, even calling on god to come down and be part of the team.
Back home we debated the boys’ actions when they gestured skyward in a sign of religious commitment when they scored a try –– and they were ridiculed.
But in that moment of scoring a try what euphoria and ecstasy is felt.
With adrenalin pumping an athlete can do anything.
I read somewhere about a professor who asked his theology class, “When is man nearest to god?”
All kinds of answers were given.
The professor shook his head each time.
One even said, “When we go to church and confess our sins.”
The professor shook his head.
The students were stunned, what other answer is possible and waited for the professor’s answer.
“When we are in ecstasy” he said.
We often call on god at that moment. He could be true. I have no answer.
I wonder if that explains the religious gestures, because scoring a try is exhilarating, especially when you know there are cameras around.
But I digress.
We won in Wellington,
Fiji is united.
Differences are forgotten.
We will do it again next week but this time hope and expectations will be higher.
The grog will be sweeter.
We have seen the boys play their hearts out.
They tackled like men possessed and ran like greased lightning.
Emosi Vucago is a tough guy. Vinaka Emosi.
One of my mates said, “Boy that guy is tough.”
Another said, “If he had to be eaten it would only be after a thousand hours of boiling.”
But thank you Tanivula, keep the combination.
Fiji is backing you, but you know what, make no promises because people can be very cruel when we lose, especially when promises are made.
Talk only after the game.
And my grog team was humbled when you had tears in your eyes after we beat Samoa.
You showed no emotion during the game, you are indeed one cool dude.
Oh, by the way, one of my mates asks if Emosi Vucago could give William Ryder some of his destructive fearlessness.
If he can, Ryder will become a real force to be reckoned with, in line with the great Jonah Lomu or even better.
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