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24/04/2008 10:42
JJ Harmse
Well done Stormers on a great victory.
A week ago, I wrote about the crossroads the Stormers, Sharks and Bulls faced in the final stretch of the Super 14. The Bulls won well against the Highlanders and seemed to have found something that was missing earlier in the competition. The Stormers showed a lot of courage in their win against the Hurricanes and showed some mental toughness as well. The Sharks though, lost their cool against the Brumbies and in the end, the match. Yes, Bryce Lawrence was poor, but the Sharks were comfortably up at half-time with the same man in charge.
What impressed me most in the Stormers win was the play of their Fijian wing Sereli Naqelevuki. After scoring two tries against the Cheetahs a week before, the big man seemed to have found the key to his confidence and suddenly he is as dangerous as any of the dozen Fijian wings on show in world rugby on any given weekend.
To be honest, bar a good showing against the Blue Bulls last year, I thought the Western Province performances by Naqelevuki were ordinary and at times lethargic. Even in the first half of the Super 14, I failed to see the fuss about the Fijian.
Starting to deliver
Yes, I agree that foreign players can bring something to the party when playing Super 14 for a South African team, but I could not understand the need for a wing to play at the Stormers. Not with all the local talent down south anyway.
But give Nick Mallett or Kobus van der Merwe or whoever brought the flyer to Cape Town their due, as he's starting to deliver.
He is starting to fire at the right time as well. As the tension will grow for the Cape side and their playoff chances over the next few weeks, they will need more and more big game players to perform.
One expects that type of game from the likes of Jean de Villiers, Schalk Burger and Schalk Brits, but if their Fijian is on song as well, they will go a long way towards achieving something special.
Hard to believe
Ironically, all those Stormers fans that enjoyed the fall from grace by the Bulls, will now root for them when playing the Brumbies and Waratahs with all they have!
Back to the Fijians. The frightening thing of course is that Naqelevuki is way down the pecking order of Fijian wings. I spoke to some Fijian journalists at the Hong Kong Sevens recently and they reckon that he is outside the top 15 Fijian flyers at the moment. I found that hard to believe, but once they started naming their favourites, I realised how much depth Fiji has in that position.
It is almost scary. Apart from Lote Tuqiri, Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu, who have opted to play for their adopted countries, there are numerous Fijian shining all over the world.
It is no secret that Naqelevuki could earn much more in Australia and New Zealand playing Super Rugby or in Japan playing club rugby, but the fact that he is plying his trade here shows the desire to play at this level and grab his opportunity. It also shows his true market value, I suppose, as many of his compatriots earn more and are in greater demand.
Try scorer of note
The most famous Fijian flyer - and perhaps the most enigmatic - Rupeni Caucaunibuca - is earning millions in France, as is Sireli Bobo and Vilimoni Delasau. South Africans will recall Delasau scoring a great try against the Springboks in their Rugby World Cup quarter-final, while Bobo came on the field as a replacement.
There are many more. Isa Nacewa has played everywhere in the Blues backline and is now on his way to Leinster. At the Chiefs, Viliame Waqaseduadua had his season curtailed by injury, but has already made the Junior All Blacks and is a try scorer of note.
The World Cup also produced another star in the form of pocket rocket Filimone Bolavucu. He is currently playing Top 14 rugby in France and is a stalwart for the Brive club. Another who gained a professional contract abroad was the Nadroga wing, Isoa Neivua.
Toulouse have also used Maleli Kunavore on the wing, although many believe his best position is in midfield.
The most sensational of the Fijians in France is Napolioni Nalaga, who plays with John Smit (and Delasau) at Clermont. The 22-year old has scored 10 tries so far in the competition and is the leading scorer in the league.
Strut their stuff
Japan is also overflowing with Fijians. Many of them are not known in South African circles, bar the likes of Marika Vunibaka, who played at the Crusaders.
The next generation of Fijian flyers are also about to strut their stuff on the world scene. The likes of Patrick Osborne, Nacanieli Nabobo, Timoci Nagusuca, Vilitati Vereimi, Alusio Buto, Eneri Kuru, Vima Tuidraki and Apisalome Waqabaca are all in the running to wear the 11 and 14 jerseys in Fiji's upcoming Pacific Nations Cup in June where they will play the NZ Maori, Japan and Australia 'A'.
It does not take a rocket scientist to work out that any standouts will find employment in those countries very soon.
Whether Naqelevuki's performances bring more Fijians to South African shores remains to be seen. They are heavy maintenance, as the Stormers and Province management will tell you, but if they reward the way Sereli does, it might just be worth a try. Or two.
Read JJ every Sunday in Rapport.
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