When you talk about rugby sevens tournaments with any Fijian there are two that will always dominate the conversation.
The first will be the Hong Kong 7s – where Fiji has won 19 times, and the second is the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s – the first sevens tournament which began in 1976.
Apart from being the pioneer rugby sevens tournament, the competition can also boast it was the first to host a women’s competition when female teams took to the field in 1989.
This year marked the 47th Marist Sevens tournament and it was a bittersweet event in that the organisers also bid farewell to Joe Rodan senior.
The former Paradise Beverages general manager sales and corporate sales has been a strong supporter of the tournament for the past 35 years.
Event director Lawrence Tikaram said Rodan was instrumental in developing grassroots rugby in Fiji.
“We would like to honour him for his 35 years of service to the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s and we want to say thank you,” he said.
Rodan was honoured with a token of appreciation from the organisers of the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s last month but unfortunately he was not there to receive it as he had left the tournament early.
The former Olympian and 400m sprinter is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to sports in Fiji.
In an article published in The Fiji Times on March 26, 2021, Rodan said the Marist 7s was like the Fiji Bitter beer brand – from humble beginnings it has grown into the biggest in Fiji and was driven with a purpose.
“Today the Marist Sevens rugby tournament is embossed in the Fiji culture, the best in the business and passionate about whom they were doing this for,” he said.
“From a humble beginning as a Saturday evening sports and social event with eight teams and a prize of five cartons of Fiji Bitter, the tournament has grown over the years to be a major iconic sporting event with more than 100 teams taking part, 500 volunteers and a total budget of approximately $150,000 to run the tournament.
“The Fiji Bitter Marist sevens rugby tournament has given many young talented rugby players opportunities to be selected to represent our country and find stardom in rugby clubs around the world. “Many of these players who started off in the sevens code were also selected to represent our country in the 15s code.”
Rodan said many young players who were once unknown became household names through their participation in the tourney.
“They made Fiji come to a standstill to watch them play against big rugby nations. “They made Fiji celebrate, they made Fiji cry, they made Fiji sad, they made Fiji angry, but most importantly they made Fiji come together as a nation.” Rodan said the tournament was also instrumental in introducing women sevens rugby to Fiji in 1989.
“Today because of the foresight of the sponsor, Fiji Bitter beer, and the Marist Rugby club, Fiji 7s rugby is an iconic brand promoting Fiji worldwide and contributing to the development of sports and the growth in the economy through sports tourism.
“The Fiji Bitter Marist 7s can also take credit, that through its efficient and effective organisation of the tournament, Fiji rugby is able to produce a team which is of world standard and competes in the global arena as a true champion among the developed and financially well-off rugby nations.
“It also marks the fact that Rugby 7s is now an Olympic sport and the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s tournament can take credit for growing and developing Fiji’s rugby sevens over the years.
“And the Fiji 7s team making history by the being the first sport to defend the gold medal for Fiji in the Tokyo Olympic Games which Fiji won at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games in Brazil.”
Rodan said the launch of the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s had set the stage for Fiji’s biggest 7s sporting event.
“Sponsoring an event won’t be successful unless you have the support of the organising committee, the volunteers, the players, the supporters and the community as a whole and we have everyone to thank for the successful establishment of the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s.
“We have players like Jerry Tuwai, and many other national players who are now household names in Fiji, thanks to Fiji Bitter and Marist Rugby Club.
“Our sponsorship has not only paved a pathway for rugby players to showcase their talents to the world, but it has also helped communities to build village churches, renovate dormitories for boarding schools, and build new classrooms, new sanitation facilities and village halls to name a few.”
He said the mileage received from sponsorship of sports had far exceeded the investment of sponsored funds distributed to sports in Fiji.
“Fiji Bitter sponsporship has made the product in Fiji an iconic brand that rewards the communities and its people behind the brand are proud to be part of its growth and brands that leverage off from sponsorships.
“Sponsoring grassroots rugby and assisting unemployed youths and local rugby players to secure a spot in our national rugby team, but also secure a contract with top clubs overseas and are able to earn a living and support their families and loved ones back home.
“Sports sponsorship has been a major buzz in Fiji’s sporting arenas and the Fijian communities giving Fiji’s people ethics that are cherished which is essential to our sustained growth.”
The 47th Fiji Bitter Marist 7s had 64 teams competing in the three day tournament this year. Police Blue won the men’s final beating Fiji 1 team while Army won the women’s title defeating Seahawks.
