Published in The Fiji Times on July 20, 1999.
Big Joeli Veitayaki lumbers onto the field today with a huge load on his big shoulders.
Big Joe will captain the national team for the first time in front of his home crowd, and his second Test as captain, something he never dreamed of.
His story makes good reading. He started with nothing except his determination to make a name for himself on the rugby field.
His first outing was for the Matuku team in the island zone competition, part of the entertainment for the Hibiscus Festival every year Spectators laughed at his awkward ness and his lack of basics, but Big Joe turned a deaf ear.
He appeared suddenly in Suva after one island zone competition and turned up one afternoon at the Marist school ground where he was taken in by the Pio Bosco coached St Johns Marist team.
That was the beginning. From there, he joined the Police club, had a stint with the Raiwaqa club, made it to the Suva team as reserve and then he got his break in New Zealand in 1990 with the Tokoroa club in King Country.
He was suspended for biting an opponent’s ear in New Zealand but that was during his wild days. He is now captain of the Fiji team and a more mature player.
“I’ve never been on a team that was so disciplined and so close to each other.” “We help each other on and off the field and that’s what a team should be like,” he said.
“Captaining this team will be a big job because this is the first time I will be doing it in Fiji,” he said.
After Fiji’s performance in New Zealand and South Africa, expectation is high amongst Fiji supporters.
“The boys played well against South Africa, and we had a good tournament in New Zealand.” “We are all looking forward to the game against. Western Samoa,” he said.
Just month ago, Veitayaki played against the same Western Samoan team when it toured New Zealand.
Back in Matuku, he used to tell his friends that someday, he’d be playing up there among the best in rugby, but they did not believe him.
“But to be captain of the Fiji team, I didn’t expect that,” he said.
Veitayaki is married and has two children, a three-month-old son and a two-year-old daughter. All of them are in New Zealand.
“I miss my family a lot, but I won’t let that affect my game (today),” he said.
This will be his 12th Test match for Fiji.
“I hope I’m still around for the World Cup in 1999, but, for the moment, the game against Western Samoa (today) is the most important. Veitayaki said he received a lot of support from old friends and relatives.
The experience he received in New Zealand helped him a lot, he said. New Zealand is the best rugby nation in the world and to play with them or really against them is really something.
For five years before going to New Zealand, Veitayaki tied to make it into the national side.
