It's simply unacceptable

Culden Kamea - Monday, March 31, 2008 7:47 AM

Bula Sports fans! What a full, but disappointing sports week we've just had!

Thursday and Friday saw the Coca-Cola Lite Suva Zone Athletics finals, followed on Friday evening with the start of the one and only Hong Kong 7s, plus here at home, the semi-finals of the 2008 Colonial Cup on Friday evening in Labasa between the Sharks and the Crusaders and on Saturday in Nausori between the Knights and the Highlanders and to top it all off on Sunday in Lautoka, the O League game between Ba and Kosa of the Solomon Islands.

Like most of you, I watched game after game in between ad after ad after TV advertisement of the Hong Kong 7s on Fiji One, plus "live" the Colonial Cup semi-final at Ratu Cakobau Park and a day later, the O League game at Churchill Park in Lautoka.

In Hong Kong, the early games against Wales and Kenya were heart-stoppers which drove home the point again that everyone else has caught up on the basics of 7s rugby and we simply have to put our best team out for every IRB 7s Tournament in future or face the very real prospect of losing out in the play-offs tournament after IRB 7s tournament. This may be OK for other lesser 7s-playing nations, but not for Fiji.

Rugby 7s is our game. Rugby 7s is how we made our name. "Brand Fiji Rugby" is all about the flowing non-stop one hundred miles an hour rugby action and exhilarating handling that is special and synonymous to Fiji rugby both in 7s and 15s.

You simply cannot separate 7s and 15s rugby in Fiji, as unlike anywhere else in the world it is one in the same here in Fiji.

Whether you or the FRU like it or not it is fact; our rugby mana flows from 7s to 15s and vice-versa. People the world over and especially here in Fiji understand and know that and in doing so, they expect our team to perform very, very well. Not necessarily to win all the time, but simply to play with the passion, skill and flair that is Fiji Rugby.

Case in point: FBI cane farmers in the back of Nadi told me hours before the quarter-finals of the 2008 Hong Kong 7s that this Fiji team would not make it. They know don't ask me how - they just know when the Fiji team isn't right; isn't up to our very high standards.

It was obvious that we lacked pace across the team and we also sorely missed the services of man-mountain Semisi Naevo from Nawaka at every kick-off, particularly against New Zealand in the quarterfinal and no matter what is said after the fact Fiji lacked the guidance and mana of Waisale Serevi.

After our 36 0 whitewash against the kiwis my advice to the FRU would be to go all out to pick Fiji's best possible players from wherever they are all over the rugby-playing world for the rest of the IRB 7s series. Believe me, it is that important.

The FRU needs to do this to protect our special brand of exciting running Fiji rugby and to appease our fans at home and abroad.

In fact, as I write this within minutes of the thrashing by New Zealand, the first text has already hit my mobile from a die-hard Fiji rugby fan living overseas saying, "Bro, it's official Fiji is useless! What a bloody whimpish, pathetic display. They did not get a single shot off hopeless".

I won't repeat the rest of the message but it recommended three sackings and this from someone who left our shores many years ago! Back on home soil, as I quietly predicted, the Crusaders proved too strong for the brave Sharks in Labasa. After an amazing run of three big wins against the best that the rest of Fiji had to offer, the Sharks simply could not withstand one more tough game against a team as strong as the improving Crusaders.

On Saturday in front of a partisan crowd at Ratu Cakobau Park, Nausori, the Knights from Tailevu came from behind with spirit and zest to zap the Highlanders 24 16.

The final next weekend in Nausori, home of the Knights, will be a cracker. I'll be wearing my Crusaders shirt.

Onto football and yesterday on a slippery and heavy track at Churchill Park, Lautoka, the nippy Solomon Islanders proved too fast and skilful for an under-manned Ba team to take out their O League clash 4 2.

Ba simply failed to take their chances in the first half to put any pressure on Kosa, who only needed a draw to make the O League final against Waitekare of New Zealand.

My kai from Lovoni village, Ovalau, Josaia Bukalidi missed a clear chance in the first half before nailing one in the 2nd which was too late, but I'm sure he'll come out firing against Labasa next weekend.

After the game, on my way back home to Lami, I was treated to some amazing hospitality by Saten and the gang at Latchmi Store, Solovi Lane off the Nadi back road on the way up to the Nausori Highlands.

Their absolutely mouth-watering south-Indian spicy curry duck chaser was topped off by white bait, pan fried in light masala over an open fire by Mahesh, served with sliced onion and freshly squeezed lemon what a delight! Ladies Mahesh is single and can cook what a great combination; just waiting to get married!

Keep up the awesome cooking standard boys and I shall return next time I pass by your way and show you how my Tongan bride does bar-b-q roast pork on charcoal!