THIS is a report of a 17-year-old secret.
Not one to haunt, but one that is extraordinary, especially when it comes to rugby 7s and involving New Zealand and Fiji.
It is about Fiji’s historic 24-14 victory in the final of the inaugural Wellington 7s in New Zealand in 2000.
The two-day tournament turns 17 today after it started at Westpac Stadium on February 4, 2000.
It was the first annual rugby sevens tournament held in New Zealand as part of the then International Rugby Board Sevens World Series which is now the HSBC World Sevens Series.
It was the fourth leg of the 1999-2000 series.
The secret is now finally out of the bag. From the man who masterminded the feat, coach Peni Veidreyaki —— former national 7s coach who rose to stardom from the Namoli Rugby Club in Lautoka. The sugar city club was Fiji’s consecutive champion in the abbreviated code for a number of years, just like the prominence of the then Nabua rugby 7s team under former mentor and national coach, the late Ratu Kitione Tuibua Vesikula.
But, back to Wellington, Veidreyaki had shared the secret to few friends over the years, and now for the first time and exclusively to this newspaper, for Fijian rugby fans.
Veidreyaki shares how he won the tournament against a star-studded New Zealand team under now Samoan coach Sir Gordon Tietjens (not knighted then).
“The amazing thing about that tournament was that I got Marika Vunibaka on Friday afternoon before the tournament started the following day,” he said from his Namoli Village home, Lautoka, yesterday.
“We left Fiji with 12 players —— Waisale Serevi, Setareki Tawake, Viliame Satala, Sailosi Naiteqe and Apenisa Naevo were the forwards. The backs were Fero Lasagavibau, Marika Vunibaka, Filimone Delasau, Jovesa Vunisa, Seru Rabeni (late), Temesia Kaumaia (late) and Taniela Qauqau.
“Vunibaka was not part of the squad because he was with the Canterbury Crusaders for the National Provincial Championship which is before Super 12 (now known as Super Rugby).
“A media crew from New Zealand came to my room for an interview and one of their questions was ‘Gordon Tietjens’ team is full of Super 12 players, you have your lone Super 12 player Marika Vunibaka here in New Zealand and you did not select him. Why.’ I replied that I tried to locate Vunibaka for weeks from Fiji, but was unsuccessful.
“I was surprised that they offered to help us get Vunibaka, but on one strict condition. If we get Vunibaka, they get the exclusive. We struck a deal and I knew I was wrong because I did not consult the FRU first. But at that moment, I have to make a decision because it was the Fiji team and Marika would be one of the top players.
“They supplied the telephone numbers to the New Zealand Rugby Union chairman, the Crusaders’ chairman and coach Robbie Deans. They helped me get to Fiji’s ambassador to New Zealand then, Ratu Osea Gavidi for Marika’s plane tickets.
“FRU officials Tevita Ratuva (late) and Paula Cavu got angry with me saying that it could not happen because I had taken 12 players. I told them ‘The best coach understands everything on and off the field. I have 12 players, but until they enter the ground then they are registered players, but in the hotel, they are not registered.’ I assured them that I would take full responsibility and I said ‘Sa na qai raica qo o Niu Siladi na cava na vakasasa vuaka ni veikau (New Zealand will see and know what wild pig hunting is).
“I called Robbie Deans and he released Marika on three strict conditions. One was if we won or lost Marika to leave Wellington first flight after the final, two- no kava, no beer and alcohol, and three no injury. I agreed. Robbie Deans gave Marika’s number and once we secured him, the media crew got their exclusive.
“Then I asked our manager Master Epeli Lagiloa to gather the 12 players. I told them ‘I have sinned against you. You came here to play as a 12-member team, but I have broken our promise.
“This is wrong but I am prepared to commit a wrong to make our country proud.’ I was confident that we will win and I continued ‘three things I am about to tell you I know are wrong. The first one is that I have asked Marika Vunibaka to join us.’ They were surprised. ‘The second is that the 10 named in the run-on will play.’ Seru Rabeni volunteered to be dropped. ‘The third is that one of you has to share your rooms with Marika. Seta Tawake was smart. He shared a room with Viliame Satala and he volunteered for Vunibaka to join them because he would take all the good clothes from Marika because he had Super 12 outfits.
“The team was made up of players from all over Fiji and if I drop one, there would be questions from their relatives. They were all good players. That was a plus and we had two from Yasawa plus me, so I called Qauqau and Vunisa to decide among themselves who would be dropped. We ended up with Qauqau.
“The other help came from David Campese. He repeatedly told me to advise the boys not to be hot-headed in the final against New Zealand. During the warm-up he waited for us near the change room and I invited him to talk to the boys.
He told the boys; ‘New Zealand have only one tactic —— intimidate and provoke. Keep your cool, don’t retaliate and don’t get angry. The rugby paddock is not a boxing ring. Play your game and even if you have to call an opponent Sir, do it. It worked in the final and looking back New Zealand and Australia helped us.”
Fiji broke the hearts of Kiwis at the Cake Tin that day —— giant Jonah Lomu (late), then an upcoming rugby star could not use his bulldozing runs as he did to other teams and for the first time as a NZ rep, his jersey was ripped by Delasaau, and another highlight was Christian Cullen just spent half a minute on the field after a well-timed tackle from ‘The Stretcher’ Satala.
“Before the final, Serevi asked ‘Who is rover and who is winger between Vunibaka and Delasau.’ I said ‘I have named them in the team so up to them which position they play because Marika said Delasau could sidestep, fast and a good finisher, while Delasau said Marika was the best winger because he would take the ball head race to the tryline. They decided the positions.
“When Cullen ran in I shouted to Satala in Namoli dialect ‘La ya kwaci (he is coming.) The next thing I knew Naevo told me that Cullen had been stretchered off. That’s how strong the final was. Fero was punched by Rush and received stitches and Amasio Raoma was making Serevi and Fero angry, but in the end we beat them.
“Suva lawyer Sireli Fa was in one of the corporate boxes and he said the Kiwis remained silent in the final and some left before the game finished. We heard before the game there was a prizemoney, but we received nothing.
“This team in New Zealand today has all the skills to win, and it is up to the coach on how he operates this weekend. This is his first tournament, and like everyone, I wish him well and want him to win this weekend,” Veidreyaki said.
