FIREWORKS erupted and lit the skies, its sparks brightening Nadawa early Sunday morning.This signified Fiji’s victory in Dubai. Yes, we had won our second title in Dubai thanks to the sparkling efforts of the team.A scintillating start for Ben Ryan and the national sevens team with 22 points in the bag heading to the ever competitive Cape Town.

Nippy Jerry Tuwai, Fiji’s X-factor lived up to expectations and was crowned the player of the tourney. Wananavu!

Fiji started the defence of the world series in emphatic fashion routing Canada 63-14.

While Japan took us to the wire, we came out unscathed, Save being our saviour.

This would have sent fear among even the diehard fans as the try was scored in the dying seconds. The Pumas put up a brave effort but were trounced 28-nil.

Fiji remained undefeated in pool play. Three out of three wins in the bag and we marched to the cup quarter-final with high spirits.

The match against an Aussie outfit ably supported by our own Henry Speight was mouth-watering.

Australia had knocked Fiji out of the semi-final last year with a 29-24 win and the Aussies crushed our hopes of a double title in the last leg in London this year thumping us badly in the semis.

The Fijians were hungry for revenge and rightly did so with hard hitting tackles, bruising and enterprising rugby. I’m glad we buried the Aussie hopes of a grand slam.

The All Blacks were next on Ryan’s radar and my God, Titch must be asking himself and his loyal DJ what went wrong.

In the past five outings, Fiji had trounced the All Blacks and Sunday was no exception.

The dried face of the old master magician showed his days could be over. New Zealand led by a single thread but Fiji scored three classic tries to overtake the dying pace of the Kiwis.

We had the string on attack and defence coupled with more offloads and line breaks. The final was such a hit episode that you wouldn’t want it to end.

It was an epic, a perfect game planned in heaven, executed on Earth. Emotions were high beginning from the singing of Fiji’s national anthem.

Four tries in the first spell. What else could I have asked for from my team?

This was the belated birthday gift I had wished for and got it.

Fiji was on fire and the forwards led by example demolishing the Roses while the backs were superb in attack and defence.

A big vinaka vakalevu to Ben, Kauvesi and Naca for managing the team. Ben said it and he was right that in Fiji we only expected the team to win.

To Oscar, Pio, Jasa, Jerry, Vatemo, Save, Api, Ice, Mule, Mata, Sevu and Taliga thank you so much for playing your hearts out.

Thank you so much for the hard yards and sacrifice. We jumped in joy while you were out there on the playing field.

Rightly said by my dad that Fiji was enjoying a new lease of life under Ben Ryan.