A wake-up call – FLOYD ROBINSON MICRONESIA
WAS the performance of team Malolo a wake-up call for rugby authorities? How much of our efforts and resources are directed towards rugby development on outer islands compared with main islands? Were any of our national Flying Fijians and Fijian Drua selectors keeping tab on the performance of Malolo this season? Malolo defeated teams which had players from the Fijian Drua side. Congratulations to team Malolo for defying the odds to score a landmark and historical victory in Fiji rugby.
Great initiative – RIKASH DEO AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
WONDERFUL initiative by the people of Levuka-i-Daku for their youths studying on the main land. With drug use on the rise in the islands, more villages and islands could do the same. Vinaka and God bless Fiji.
The plot – LUKE KULANIKORO SAVUSAVU
SATURDAYS front page (FT 1/11) should have read: “The plot and the rot thickens”. It’s the reality of the matter, they say! Have a nice day folks.
Rumble to crumble – RAKESH CHAND SHARMA ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA
THE photograph of Cabinet Ministers in the ST (2/11) tells us how the Coalition Government “rumbled” in November 2023, but soon fumbled; then tumbled and now on the verge to crumble. The journey of the Coalition Government, thus far, reminds me of the sack race we had in primary school. We began to hop from the goalpost line, but many ended on the left or right side lines instead of the other goalpost line. The scene was one of “looking London, going Tokyo”. This Coalition Government never ceases to amaze me.
Scrap FICAC – LUKE KULANIKORO SAVUSAVU
JUST scrap FICAC, they are doing police work. Am I correct? They are just adding to our national debt, nothing else.
Fall from grace – JAN NISSAR SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
FORMER Prince Andrew has been stripped of all his royal titles and privileges and is now just an ordinary Briton. All done by his elder brother King Charles III and well overdue. Alas, if only His Majesty had known about the alleged past shenanigans of another visitor to the Royal Palace recently.
Historic day for Fiji rugby – VARITEMA TUVUKI NAQERE, SAVUSAVU
SATURDAY, November 1, 2025, will be remembered as a landmark moment in Fiji rugby history. Malolo’s victory in the Skipper Cup has not only etched their name into the annals of the sport but also reignited the spirit of grassroots rugby across our islands. This win is more than just a scoreline, it’s a testament to the resilience, discipline, and heart of a team that dared to dream. Malolo’s journey to the top has inspired communities, young athletes, and rugby lovers from the villages to the cities. Their success reminds us that with unity, hard work, and belief, even the smallest unions can achieve greatness. Fiji rugby has long been a source of national pride, and Malolo’s achievement adds a new chapter to that legacy. It’s a call to invest further in local talent, to nurture the next generation, and to celebrate the diversity of teams that make our rugby culture so rich. Congratulations to the players, coaches, and supporters of Malolo.
All Blacks eye Grand Slam – RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU
EYEING their first Grand Slam in 15 years and their fifth, the All Blacks beat Ireland 26-13 in Chicago. The All Blacks, who recorded a Grand Slam in 1978, 2005 and 2008 and 2010, won the match after falling behind by 10-0 in the early stages of the first half. Sir Graham Henry was the last coach to record the Grand Slam in 2010, when the All Blacks had stars in Joe Rokocoko, Mils Muliana, Cory Jane, Conrad Smith, Ma’a Nonu, Hosea Gear, Dan Carter, Andy Ellis, Kieran Read, Isaia Toeava, Richie McCaw, Jerome Kaino, Owen Franks, Tony Woodcock, Sam Whitelock, Sonny Bill Williams, Liam Messam, Brad Thorn, Hika Elliot, Jimmy Cowan, Keven Mealamu and Stephen Donald. They beat England’s Roses 26-16 at Twickenham, thrashed Scotland’s Bravehearts 49-3 at Murrayfield Stadium, thumped Ireland 38-18 at Aviva Stadium and hammered Wales 37-25 at the Millennium Stadium. What a memorable Grand Slam that was! Yesterday, against Ireland, Scott Robertson’s brigade emphatically overcame a 13-7 deficit to overpower a resilient and tough Ireland outfit in the final quarter with tries to Tamaiti Williams, Wallace Sititi and Cam Roigard. Substitute Damian McKenzie injected breath in the backline. Ireland blew numerous chances inside the opposition 22 while the All Blacks strong bench boosted their Grand Slam hopes.
Dashcam for all vehicles – NAVNEET RAM (TD) LAUTOKA
I BELIEVE it would be safe and make it necessary to have dashcams in all vehicles under LTA laws. Beyond your local policies on their use, they act as a witness to almost any incident you might run into on the road. The simplest practical use of it is the play back of the circumstances that led up to say, a vehicular accident, altercation, or road rage. It can also protect one from insurance scammers like vehicles intentionally backing up into and claiming you rear-ended them, etc. Some dashcams also have a feature that would start recording when the vehicle is jolted. All these would be invaluable evidence for whatever claim you might have to make. That said, however, it goes both ways. The footage can also be used against you and may implicate you when you are at fault. So in a way, having a dashcam should compel you to drive more defensively and especially not participate in road rage.
FICAC probe – SAMU SILATOLU NAKASI, NAUSORI
EVER since FICAC’s inception in April 2007, former and current ministers have been charged and convicted. These were scenarios not experienced prior, in my view. Wasn’t its establishment best for Fiji? All of the years passed, Fiji had been silently bleeding. A deterrence mechanism that has ignited cautionary and accountability, within the domains of Fiji’s public and private enterprises. Even the government’s top echelon seems to be on their toes, in my view. Isn’t that promising? A less or near zero corruption Government, I believe, can do so much more than expected. Every school, housing, health centre, road, reservoir, bridge, etc we developed, costs us twice, because someone has stolen what belongs to all of us. Fiji cannot and will not transform, if corruption is perpetuated continuously, by the very people who are supposed to seal it. In fact, in my opinion, this has been done not by chance, but by choice. We don’t need another “political promise”, but “integrity”. For a nation’s actual wealth, I believe, is measured not by its GDP, but by how much “honesty” it upholds. Will the Fiji people keep watching as corruption unfolds? However, as long as FICAC’s boundaries are not breached by external influence, it should be continually enhanced at all costs. Good law is good order and it is a shield, not a sword.
Sluggish play – RAHUL KRISHNA AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND
THE All Blacks may have opened their Grand Slam tour with a win over Ireland in Chicago, but let’s be honest — the performance was far from convincing. The first half looked disjointed, sluggish, and short of the ruthless All Blacks standard. Even with Ireland down a man, we were the ones under pressure. It wasn’t until the 60th minute that Wallace Sititi and Cam Roigard brought real spark and urgency — finally shifting the game’s momentum. Without their impact, this could easily have gone the other way. Razor has serious work ahead. The Barrett brothers’ injuries are a concern, but that’s no excuse for poor structure and sloppy execution. The breakdowns, scrums, and lineouts were below par and against tougher opposition, those weaknesses will be punished. With Scotland next, the All Blacks must lift their intensity and rediscover that killer instinct. Three more to go for the Grand Slam — but only if they wake up and play like champions.
A night of boxing – RAJNESH ISHWAR LINGAM NADAWA, NASINU
ZEG Kings Boxing Promoter, Nahroon Buksh, must be commended for taking the risk to get some first-class boxers from overseas to meet boxing fans’ expectations at the Vodafone Arena on Saturday evening. However, the feature bout between Sigatoka’s Junior Binnu Singh and Thailand’s Apichart Klintai did not live up to expectations as Binnu delivered a second-round technical knockout win to bring home the Super Bantamweight WBA Oceania Interim title. The referee stopped the contest just seconds into the second round. Binnu was athletic, fit and superior in terms of throwing punches although he had a mammoth task against Klintai, who is a seasoned Thai fighter, and is a dynamic and powerful martial artist. For Binnu, the fight was to make amends for the loss to Runqi Zhou in July and was a golden opportunity to test himself against one of the region’s most dynamic fighters. I’d love to see a re-match between Binnu and Zhou. I also congratulate national champ Mikaele Ravalaca for winning the WBA Oceania light weight title with a clinical technical knockout win over Australia’s Francis Chua in the seventh round. I expected a huge crowd at the Vodafone Arena to witness a night of boxing, and I’m glad patrons had a great night of boxing.
