WHEN Nabitu Village in Tokatoka finally lay to rest former Fiji rugby flanker, Ratu Anare Secake, 86, yesterday at their burial site, he would have been the last living survivor of the 1957 heroes who rocked New Zealand rugby to their roots.
The gallant efforts of that team in thrashing New Zealand champions Auckland 38-17 and winning both Tests against the New Zealand Maoris by big margins (36-13 at Wellington and 17-8 at Dunedin), established Fiji’s status as one of the world’s rising rugby powerhouses.
Many rugby men said if they had pitted the All Blacks against that team, the Kiwis would have suffered the same fate.
Definitely, as far as honouring our rugby heroes, the Nabitu, Tokatoka man deserved a hero’s farewell from rugby fans and Fiji Rugby Union officials and at least showed their appreciation to the immense effort made by him and his teammates.
Compared with modern day, he would have been of equal status as our Olympians for the unique achievement they made in the heart of rugby land, New Zealand.
Secake made his debut in the Wellington Test partnering the giant Paula Nayacakalou, who was prominent in his big Fijian “buiniga” haircut.
Completing the loose forward trio at number eight was Nacanieli Nabaro who forced his way into the New Zealand Almanac with Levula and Dawai with a sensational try-scoring performance in both Tests.
In Dunedin, Secake had a new flanker partner making his debut in Dr Apenisa Kurisaqila, who later became a Minister for Health and Speaker of Parliament.
Fiji first came into rugby prominence when our national team made an unbeaten tour of New Zealand in 1939 and rugby winger Josaia. B Voreqe was included in the New Zealand Almanac of 1940 as the best overseas winger to play there in 1939. He was Fiji’s try-scoring hero.
Even though our men toured again in 1951 and won rave reviews, we lost a Test to the Maoris and also to Auckland and only a late minute try by try-scoring hero Jo Levula won Fiji the second Test.
The mercurial Levula, captain Orisi Dawai both of Narewa, Nadi and Namalata, Kadavu’s Rusiate Vuruya were included in the NZ Almanacof 1952. The selected men were regarded as the best players in their positions compared with all Kiwi players and touring overseas teams of 1951.
In 1954 on their way from Australia Fiji stopped over for a match against Auckland and were thoroughly thrashed 39-3 and in 1951 they also lost 29-16.
So, in 1957 when Fiji was invited again to tour New Zealand, it was going to be a tour of vengeance.
The coach and manager were locals. Ratu Sir Penaia Ganilau was the manager and coach was Saunaka, Nadi’s Apakuki Tuitavua.
Ratu Penaia and Tuitavua were members of the Unstopabble, the unbeaten 1939 team and under their leadership the 1957 team vowed to repeat the unbeaten tour and the champion Auckland team, with 12 All Blacks was the first target.
They were to meet in the third match and it was a perfect itinerary. Tuitavua captained Fiji in 1954 and was coach in 1957.
According to the rugby memoirs of the Fijian halfback Suliasi Vatubua of Nausori Village, Tailevu, printed in the Boot magazine in 1995, Ratu Penaia also acted as assistant coach and he trained with the team to perfect their scrummaging.
The forwards were reluctant to partner him in training because of his chiefly status and what he did was to grab the nearest man and went into the scrum to show body positioning and stance, Vatubua said.
Secake was reserve flanker against Auckland as the tireless Yavulo, Nadroga flanker Wame Waqanaceva was first choice.
The New Zealand media and many rugby experts had written Fiji’s chances off, but the Fijian camp knew that the Kiwis had designed their game plan around All Black star second-five TR Lineen.
So they had the hard tackling second-five Tomasi Naidole shadowing him. Lineen was a game breaker and his defence was also superb and his reputation was world-class.
Vatubua said the Yako, Nadroga man stuck to him all afternoon and never gave him space and it was Auckland’s downfall.
“It was Auckland’s doomsday as they were thrashed on their home turf in front of thousands of their fans,” said Vatubua as the visitors won by more than 30 points.
“The Kiwis just could not cope with our pace and many times they were spectators on the field as they watched in disbelief the long passes and sidesteps that we did.
“The most spectacular try was initiated from our 22-metre mark and at halfway first-five Kaiava Bose sliced through the defence and there was no one else following him.”
“We shouted for him to walk, “taubale, taubale” and he strolled to score under the uprights and he was given a standing ovation,” Vatubua added.
Naidole, Levula, Dawai and Sabeto’s Jo Saukuru went on to play rugby league in England and Naidole is recorded to have died in 2005.
The big game against Auckland took a lot of concentration that they underestimated the weakest team on tour, King Country, which was lowly-rated in the competition there and coach Tuitavua made wholesale changes to the side and their positions.
But making his debut against international side was a young Colin Meads who won all line-outs and denied Fiji possession.
Meads became a world rugby legendary figure and was better known as Pinetree because of his built. Another big blow to that loss was the injury to flanker Waqanaceva who never played on the tour again. So, Secake took over and played in the Test against the Maoris.
After Fiji won the first Test, the Kiwis made changes to their team and brought in rugged and bigger men to try and outmuscle and use foul tactics against our men.
But Ratu Penaia had warned our players beforehand of what to expect and not to retaliate.
Flankers such as the late Secake are always in the very heart of physical battle and he was one of our players who took all the brunt of what the Kiwis had dished out and maintained his cool.
When he took up refereeing in Suva and retired in his Kinoya home before moving to the village, he was known for that instant big smile.
So if anything that would have infuriated the Kiwis was a smiling assassin he gave and took as much and remained cool.
On behalf of readers of this column we say farewell to Ratu Anare and thanks for all the memories. Moce toka nada turaga naita.
