EVERY cherished moment has its season and every season has its undefined trademarks. Certainly it said that life of a famous celebrity with fame always comes with humble beginnings.
For a man who once graced the paddock of world rugby, Jope Tuikabe’s every moment of playing days speaks much volume of what kind of warrior he was when representing Fiji in the sport we call our own.
Standing at 6 ft 3, the Nasekula man from Labasa played an instrumental role in putting Fiji on the world map in the late 90s.
Tuikabe started his Test rugby career for Fiji at 15s against the US at San Francisco on May 22, 1999.
A debut match that saw his side lost by a margin of 11 points where Fiji was beaten by 25 points to 14.
He played superbly before international peacekeeping duty broes the momentum of his rugby procedure that graced the audience of Fiji and the world of rugby.
His immense all-round presence marked his return from peacekeeping duties as he rejoin the rugby folds.
He skippered the national 7s team and won twice at Hong Kong, including the 1997 Sevens World Cup.
Part of the Fiji team were Waisale Serevi, Taniela Qauqau, Leveni Duvuduvukula, Inoke Maraiwai, Aminiasi Naituyaga, Lemeki Koroi, Marika Vunibaka, Luke Erenavula and Manasa Bari.
Not only was Tuikabe a player of the stripped-down version of rugby union, he had entrenched himself as the prospect perfect choice No. 8 in the Flying Fijian 15s team leading up to the 1999 World Cup, but an injury to his thumb during Fiji tour of Italy paved an endeavoured end to his World Cup dream.
Considering being remarkably fast and versatile for a forward man, Tuikabe was the backbone warrior of the Fiji 7s team between 1995 and 2000.
Surprisingly, Tuikabe chose 15s over 7s again in 2000, he played tremendously well in all five Epson Cup. He scored Fiji’s only try against Tonga in Nuku’alofa in May 2001.
At the same year, the military man played for the Fiji Barbarians against the Australian Barbarians.
As rugby was in his blood, he was still there to help Fiji win 7s tournaments.
The prime day of Tuikabe’s success story was in 2000. Fiji won the first ever 7s tournament in New Zealand.
The event attracted over 30,000 spectators from the world and all over the land of the long white cloud as they raced the stadium of the Wellington City to witness the tournament classified as one of the best.
Led by the maestro Serevi himself, Tuikabe and the crew defied all hopes and left Kiwi supporters in agony as they marched out in defeat.
That moment was an unmemorable circumstance for the Kiwi fans much to the delight of the nation of Fiji that was too hard to define.
With star rugby players such as Jonah Lomu, Carl Tenana, Christian Cullen, Eric Rush, and Amasio Raoma boasting the New Zealand armory, the Fijians were outnumbered in the predictions of winning the battle.
Playing alongside the Stretcher Viliame Satala and the hard working Setareki Tawake, Tuikabe combined well with the two to deliver the ball to the evergreen winger-cum halfback in Fero Lasagavibau. Serevi manned the fly-half position with Marika Vunibaka and Filimoni Delasau sharing the wing position.
Later in the year, Fiji tasted victory again in Brisbane.All hopes that Australia of winning its first tournament had proved otherwise.
Fiji continued as a conqueror that year by again winning the first tournament that took place in Japan.
Memories faded with marks of famous adventure left behind with it. One of which when Tuikabe showed some rare pace to score the only try in the 5-0 win over New Zealand in the final of the Argentina 7s in 2002.
In 2000, Tuikabe was unanimously voted as JR White Rugby Personality of the Year. The following year, he received the Player of the Year for his outstanding season in the 15s and the short code of rugby.
He was a player of humble character who always does his talking in the field of play.
Even in the Wellington 7s final of 2000 when Eric Rush punched him that saw him act as a real sportsman without any retaliation.
Tuikabe retired as a champion of the game and his legacy remains to remind current and future players of how real players treat rugby as part of life.
