It was not our day

The Fiji Times - Wednesday, April 02, 2008 3:21 PM

Often great players or coaches in any sport with a positive attitude will say it was not their day if the end result in a game did not turn out in their favour.

In the spirit of fair play and sportsmanship they believe there is a second chance –– with weaknesses rectified and improved performance come the next game situation there will be brighter days.

Fiji had a gloomy weather in the last few weeks with black clouds covering our blue sky making it hard for the sun to shine through.
Just last week clouds turned to rain and we are now experiencing fine weather.

But in our rugby circles a big black out cloud came out of the blues last Sunday evening as we suffered a painful 34-0 loss at the hands of arch rivals, New Zealand.

Painful indeed because it was the first time we failed to score a single point in a sevens outing and it happened in Hong Kong, considered the Mecca of rugby sevens.

The Fiji Rugby Union believed it had the best 12 players out of a 100,000 or so. The team had it all, experience, speed, defence but it was not our day.

The biggest defeat against the Men in Black sent shockwaves through the spine of every Fijian citizen. regardless of race, age, religious beliefs or gender.And Fiji’s result oriented rugby followers have been the biggest critics of the sevens team defeats.

To be honest there were loop holes and basic errors continuously repeated by our players.Foul languages and profanity would have certainly been spitted out from rugby fans watching television on Sunday.

Gloomy faces have been clearly visible in the work places, among market vendors, taxis, and sugar cane farmers in their plantations.
You name it and this will be the main topic in conversations even among the housewives. Their famous Fijian smile will be replaced by a stern face as if all was lost.

But it was just not our day. Let’s take a broader and positive view.
Fourteen months ago our Fiji team thumped the Kiwis in front of their home crowd in Wellington.

We didn’t only thump them but we embarrassed their politicians including their PM who tried to mix politics with sports by trying to prevent us from taking part.

A threat from IRB forced them to change their mind. Cast you r mind back to 1984 when Aliposo Waqaliti’s men gave them a 26-0 hiding.Our boys can regroup and avenge the 34-0 drubbing by lifting their game in Adelaide this weekend.

But many will say Adelaide is nothing compared to HK.
Imagine this time next year we play the Kiwis again in the final in HK and thrash them 35-0 and later beat them again in the World Cup in Dubai and retain the Melrose Cup.

The Kiwis undoubtley have won the series but again they don’t have a world Cup title.Neither in XVs or sevens.This was the same scenario in the mid 90s.

In 1994 the late Colonel Draunidalo led a group of players and inserted some military training in their preparation but came back empty handed and so did the 95 and 96 teams. The level of criticism levelled at the team was big.

However, it didn’t dampen them but made them more determined.
Come 1997 Fiji rose from the ashes to win the World Cup.

Four years ago we faced the same dilemma. The following year we lifted the Melrose Cup again. In a way it’s good to lose now so our weakness can be exposed and fixed rather than lose in the World Cup.

So I plead with fans to stop citricising and the finger pointing.
Remember those 12 players are human beings and humans make mistakes.

It was just not their day last Sunday.

Most of them have young families and probably have kids in kindergarten and primary school. Their offspring could be on the receiving end at school and become scapegoats which could have repercussions.

Remember the Pussy Cats hit song in the 70s titled “Smile”.
Put that smile back on your face if you feel gloomy. The cloud which hovers over the national team will certainly come to an end and sunshine will follow.

Who knows it might start this weekend in Adelaide and continue till after next year’s 7s RWC. James Bolabiu started that ray of hope by becoming the first ref in the South Pacific to officiate a cup final in HK.

God bless our team, fans and Fiji.