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By Viliame Tikotani Before the Melrose Cup was given its name, it was known the Ladies Cup because of the tradition that the ladies of Melrose Football Club presented it to the men that played rugby.
Click here for more photos. For the players the cup was somewhat a symbol of inspiration for playing rugby to the best of their abilities, also inspiring fans to a fun loving, adrenalin-pumping rugby affair. In 1883 along the Scottish borders, the cup inspired Melrose committee members in the creation of sevens rugby through a fundraising game. Now over the years, while the rugby sevens game has grown in stature and popularity, the Melrose Cup has become a symbol of unity, bringing rugby sevens lovers, fans, players and organisers around the world together every four years. That has reflected well for a young sport-loving nation of Fiji in that the Melrose Cup has cut across all boundaries, ethnic and philosophical divide into one nation behind our team as it battled the world at Hong Kong. It instilled the spirit of togetherness, happiness, patriotism and confidence back into our nation. And this was even more evident around the country after Waisale Serevi and his sevens rugby world cup heroes rose high to the winners stand with the Melrose Cup. In the process of it all captivating the hearts of the different peoples of Fiji uniting them as one nation one people in the course of supporting our national team. Unity in diversity as one would put it, the rugby sevens gospel had virtually brought different peoples, races and ranks from all works of life together.
"What is truly inspiring and wonderful, is the way in which your victory has brought all of us together," said the Vice President Ratu Joni Madraiwiwi. "As you played each game and advanced in the competition, we followed your progress as one. It is my hope and earnest prayer that the happiness and good feelings generated by your will win further national unity. "Too often we hide behind our ethnic origins. Too often we think too hard to try and understand each other. Today we are all proud Fiji islanders," Ratu Joni said. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase admitted that it was time for celebration and declared a public holiday to show our boys a job well done. "There is no question about it, we must have a celebration. We must give our boys a big welcome and I hope that whatever is going to be arranged, we will have the crowd out to show them our appreciation for a job extremely well done." Himself a keen rugby fanatic, Qarase was very vocal about the win and commended Serevi and his team as super heroes of our nation conquering the world. "The win by our boys was simply magnificent, it was a fantastic achievement, there was a great deal of passion in it and it was seen all over their faces." Indirectly the win again puts Fiji on top of the world and the record of being the only country to have won the Melrose Cup two times. Fiji first won the cup in 1997 at the same ground. Government understands the fact that the economy will indirectly gain from the win financially as much tourism industry regains confidence, socially it consolidates the national efforts towards reconciliation and unity. Emphatically the rugby world cup win has been seen as a major breakthrough for the nation as a whole as far as government is concerned. The Melrose Cup has again fulfilled one of its long valued tradition of inspiration in that its inspired some sense of confidence and brotherhood into our beloved nation after the win, that it achieved from the least to the greatest citizen of this land. That inspiration of unity has trickled from the highest office in the land to the common people at grassroots level. And that is powerful in the sense of fostering better foreign affairs relations with the world. The team played Japan and Hong Kong from Asia, Portugal and England from Europe, Canada from North America and Argentina from the South America and our Australia and New Zealand neighbours. All in all we told these countries that Fiji has what is takes to be amongst the best in the world. Our sevens team has done it, Vijay Singh is doing it in golf, our peacekeepers are doing it in Iraq and that speaks of standards that Fiji has set for the world to see, relate and personalise it into their individual locations and countries. Government’s strategic development plan and affirmative action recognises that sports promotes nation building and community development by bringing people of all communities together. Sports moulds better citizens through the inculcation of important values such as goodwill, tolerance, teamwork and healthy living, all vital ingredients necessary for nation building. Government has taken on sport as a strategy to ensure the achievement of its vision of a peaceful, prosperous Fiji. Sport has became a major source of employment especially for our rugby players, playing in the SANZAR Super 12 competition, Australian National Rugby league, European and Japanese Club competitions. An example that stands out today is Sevens wizard, Waisale Serevi who dropped out of school at form four level (Year 10) and concentrated on developing his rugby.
Ever since Serevi has grown to new heights representing Fiji in sevens rugby leading the nation sevens team to two world cup wins and to date holds an undisputed record in the game. Rugby has been a lifeline for Serevi and his family taking him across the globe to different cultures and making him what he is today. Serevi has become one of the best world-renown ambassadors for the rugby game and more significantly our beloved nation of Fiji. On that same note, Government understands that there is a positive vibration emanating from Fiji’s win at Rugby World Cup Sevens in Hong Kong. The Fiji Visitors Bureau estimated that the positive exposure the country gained as a result of the World Cup win was "phenomenal" Phenomenal in the sense that the government is set to gain from the economic spin-offs rippled by the victory. Fiji’s being on top of the world is a huge impact as far as our tourism market is concerned. To a person intending to visit Fiji, the message is crystal clear- it is associated with rugby sevens. The effectiveness of Fiji’s sportsman and woman will see many remittances from overseas from sport related activities- something valued at $230 million in 2002. Fiji’s rugby world cup win has also been strategic in assisting government’s efforts towards national reconciliation of all the major races in Fiji. Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase said the talent, experience, the grit and determination displayed by our players throughout the tournament captivated us all. Fiji’s win, he said was all the more satisfying when our team stayed on course and in the process defeated the major sevens rugby playing nations. National leaders agree that the win has brought people together and made everyone forget about their racial differences and divides. "It has certainly boosted the country’s confidence and has put us back on the map again on the international arena. Government Senator Ratu Josefa Dimuri said sport has always been a unifying force bringing people together and would certainly unite the people of Fiji The Melrose Cup win has really been an inspiration for us all, effectively inspiring the national team’s win at the rugby world cup and becoming the standard for sevens rugby in the world. What’s makes that win effective can also be attributed to what Serevi and his team have been publicly stating during their four weeks together. That statement from Apostle Paul letter to the Philippians during his time of tribulation as a prisoner held captive in Rome. Amidst the oppression and ill treatment he still had strength because of Christ which Serevi attributed as the strength behind the team’s success. Prime Minister Qarase said in victory speech during the public holiday that strength shone like a beacon and the nation was proud of the image the team had given to our country. "Your triumph becomes ours, your joy was our joy. All our different peoples were as one, sharing in the honour, the achievement and fame you earned for Fiji," he said. "We are a nation rejoicing as never before, a nation unified differences cast aside because of what you have done." After all, Qarase said the team made their rugby into a prayer, and their prayer was answered. "Your skills flair and pace dazzled the crowd at So Kong Po and the millions watching on televisions, your spirit was unconquerable and so was your faith. It moved mountains," he said. Certainly the Prime Minister was right that the team’s win has moved mountains obscuring the country from national unity and togetherness. It emphatically provided the impetus to encourage the Government reconciliation process to develop more quickly and ensure unity for all. Then again President Ratu Josefa Iloilovatu made a very important statement at his chiefly village on the night of the Fiji’s team arrival. Ratu Iloilovatu said while the nation was basking in the glory of the world cup win, the team must not settle on it and continue to train and work hard on their rugby because they could win today and lose tomorrow. But the weapon, he said was working hard at training. He said training must continue if we are to continue to be world champions. In hindsight the win has brought some sense of national unity and togetherness; now in foresight we must continue with our fostering good relations as a nation. The nation needs to take its cue from Ratu Iloilo’s message and continue to work hard on national unity. Indeed the Melrose Cup has forever been a source of inspiration for us all and we should continue to inspire to achieve peace and prosperity and national unity. -End- |
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