We’ll always remember the way you lived, not died, safe journey my tau, loloma to Jone Railomo and Maleli Kunavore on the way and the rest of the rugby legends whom we’ve lost.
Mosese Rauluni, who captained the Flying Fijian in the 2007 Rugby World Cup, said the death of his late teammate Seru Rabeni has not sunk in even though he was standing near his coffin on Saturday when he bade his tauvu (traditional rivals) farewell.
Representing Fijian players that couldn’t make it to the funeral service of Rabeni on Saturday, Rauluni said the late robust Flying Fijian was a “gifted athlete and he had a massive impact in rugby in NZ, England, France, most of all Fiji”.
“He made a big impact on everyone’s lives by the attendance here today, hundreds of tributes have come through the circle, media and news which typifies the man I use to call tavale,” Rauluni said.
“He’ll be missed so bad by his spirit of kindness, caring nature especially to his Fijian brothers and sisters whether from the people of his village in Bua or the Fijian boys in the army in England whenever they need his assistance.
“I’ve heard the news of his passing and it still hasn’t sunk in yet.”
Rauluni yesterday recalled the last time he spoke to his “tauvu” before the morning he died, when Rabeni told him that he was going to Bua.
“I was with talatala Rinakama at the Naitasiri training where I wanted to catch up with him and talk about old times.
“Unfortunately he’d jumped on the boat back to the island to Bua, I said to him, why you going to Bua, when you can go to a beautiful paradise like Gau instead of going there, his reply to me was ‘You lekapai, ulu pori, lailai na dina’. (Midget, bald head and lacks sincerity — a metaphor usually said to those from Gau, Lomaviti).
