THERE is no doubt about the fact that Waisale Serevi is arguably one of the world’s greatest sevens rugby players.
He has been tagged many names during an illustrious career that spanned almost two decades at the highest level of the game.
Legendary rugby commentator Keith Quinn rated him as the greatest rugby player on Earth in 2011.
Arriving in Sigatoka for a local sevens tournament, he said during his 46 years of involvement in rugby, he had never come across such a talented sevens player with so many skills like Serevi.
Serevi easily stands out as Fiji’s most famous rugby player.
He was the wizard Fiji fans relied on to win us games. He was the sevens maestro fans turned to for inspiration when the going got tough.
And he was the magician who could amazingly pull off a move, take a pass, throw a dummy, a goose-step and scoot over for a match-winning try, even from our own tryline and that too, even when we were trailing, and the end hooter had sounded.
For a young man who dropped out of school early, Serevi’s career and startling rise to fame has been keenly followed by thousands of Fijians around the world.
His dance with fame inched out many happy scenes until his unceremonious dumping.
So to see this man who once entertained millions of fans around the globe, come back to the fold is inspiring.
National coach Ben Ryan obviously has spotted something in Serevi.
If it helps Fiji this weekend, then the move was well worth it.
But it was encouraging to see Serevi helping out at training.
Fans will be hoping Ryan’s very strong technical and tactical brain will be able to pick out the amazing talent, uncanny skills, and unorthodox points packed into Serevi. We have two very inspirational coaches in their own right.
And as Serevi has pointed out, players who are given the opportunity to play for Fiji should take it with both hands.
If given the opportunity to represent Fiji, he said, players must make the most of it because one day they “will be done like me”.
He brought a sense of closure when he said: “I’m done playing for Fiji”.
It was confirmation that his time as a player had come to an end. Understandably we’ve known this for some time, but coming from the man himself, it finally draws the curtain on a long journey.
But for Serevi, a new one has already started. There was always humility and confidence before.
That appears unchanged.
There was always an amazing sense of patriotism and passion for Fiji rugby.
That remains unchanged.
The countdown continues for the Hong Kong 7s.
Go Fiji, go.
