HIS EXCELLENCY RAT U EPELI NAILATIKAU
CF, LVO, OBE (Mil), OStJ, CSM, MSD
President of the Republic of Fiji

ADDRESS AT THE WELCOME COCKTAIL FOR THE FIJI WATER CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL 7s

Novotel Hotel Thursday, 3rd October, 2013
SUVA 6.30p.m.

• The Managers, Coaches and Players of the International 7s and the Oceania 7s Teams of Argentina, France, United States, Australia, Samoa, American Samoa, Tuvalu, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Westfield Babaas, Wardens and Fiji.

• The Referees from Australia, New Zealand, Samoa and Fiji

• The Director of the International Rugby Board World 7s Series, Beth Coalter
• The Chairman of the Fiji Rugby Union, Filimoni Waqabaca

• The Chief Executive Officer of Fiji Water, Rokoseru Nabalarua

• Your Excellencies the Ambassadors and High Commissioners

• Ladies and Gentlemen

Good evening, ni sa bula vinaka, salam alaykum, namaste.

It is indeed a great honour for Fiji to be hosting the Fiji Water Centennial International 7s, organized as part of the 100th Anniversary celebrations of the Fiji Rugby Union, and the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU), Oceania 7s.

I take this opportunity to welcome you all this evening and I extend an especial warm welcome to all the teams, and individuals who have travelled from overseas.

Organized rugby proper began in Suva back in 1913 when a New Zealand plumber by the name of Paddy Sheehan, a forward, was working on the construction of the Grand Pacific Hotel, which is the building beside the Holiday Inn and directly opposite Albert Park, that is currently undergoing renovation today.

At the end of the working day, Sheehan organized casual pastime rugby with his workmates and other Fijians. This led to the formation of five clubs, The Pacific, Cadets, United Services, Imperials and Rewa.

Fiji played its first international match against Samoa – then called Western Samoa – in 1924 at Apia Park in Samoa while on its way for a rugby tour of the Kingdom of Tonga. Incredibly, this match kicked off at 7 o’clock in the morning because some of the players representing Samoa, which included some New Zealanders, had to go to work afterwards, and the Fiji team had to catch the boat that was leaving for Tonga several hours later. Fiji won six-nil.

Fiji wore an all black strip and was nicknamed the All Blacks of the South Seas. Another thing that stood out about that encounter was the large tree that was growing in the centre of the field, on the halfway line. And, of course, both teams played without boots for the simple reason that no one had any as rugby then was played in bare feet.

The Fiji team proceeded to Nukualofa, Tonga, where they played three test matches losing the first, 6-9, winning the second, 14-3, and drawing the third, nil-nil.

It is thus particularly pleasing that the Manu Samoa 7s team is here this week to help us celebrate this monumental occasion, which is the second part of the centennial year of fiji rugby.

In that connection, I must also state that it is indeed pleasing to have all you other international teams represented on this great occasion.

For your information, we have already celebrated the first part of our centennial year with a match against the classic all blacks on Wednesday, 12th June and we want to fully acknowledge the instrumental part, and the influence that two great all blacks - Andy Haden and Justin Marshall – exerted that enabled the match to take place. We thank them most sincerely.

So much has happened in the 100 years of Fiji rugby. Many tours have taken place to many rugby playing countries and many of those countries have toured Fiji. There have been many high points. Perhaps some of the highlights of those 100 years have been: the undefeated Fiji team tour of New Zealand in 1939, the Fiji 7s team twice winning the IRB Rugby World Cup 7s, and the Fiji team twice reaching the quarter-finals of the 15-a-side Rugby World Cup.

As a small developing country, Fiji has notched test match victories over some of the great rugby nations such as Argentina, Australia, Scotland, Wales, and the equally formidable teams of the New Zealand Maoris and the British & Irish Lions. We have come very close with the others. All I say is – give us time. And we will do the business.
Fiji has continuously punched well above its weight in rugby which is why it is the national sport, loved by all communities, races, ages and gender. Rugby brings this nation together like nothing else.

And this weekend, Fiji and the Fiji Rugby Union are greatly honoured to host the Fiji Water Centennial International 7s.

Simultaneously, we are also equally honoured to host the Federation of Oceania Rugby Unions (FORU) Oceania 7s section of this tournament which will witness eight teams from the region battling it out, with the special significance, that two non-core teams will qualify for the 2014 Hong Kong 7s, and some will also qualify for the Commonwealth Games next year in Glasgow.

We are all very grateful to the iconic brand of Fiji Water for making this tournament possible through their generous sponsorship. And we hope, of course, that 2013 is just the beginning of things to come, in terms of new sponsorship and more international 7s rugby action.

The Fiji Rugby Union is currently under new leadership in Mr Filimoni Waqabaca; and I thank him and his hard-working team for their efforts in organizing the Fiji Water Centennial International 7s and the Oceania 7s.

I hope the visiting teams and the other overseas visitors will all enjoy their brief visit to Fiji, and trust that you might return again to Fiji soon either for rugby, work or pleasure. Whatever the capacity, you will always be warmly welcomed.

So while we look back over the past 100 years and think of all the magical moments in Fiji rugby’s rich history, we must look forward to the next 100 years - and ensure that they are even better for Fiji rugby.

On behalf of the people of Fiji, I thank all the teams but especially the overseas teams that accepted our humble invitation to be part of this international sevens tournament to commemorate the centennial year of Fiji Rugby and the Oceania 7s.

Ladies and gentlemen, you are all aware that Fiji has a new Digicel Fiji 7s coach in Ben Ryan. So, on behalf of all Fijians and the Fiji Rugby Union, I warmly welcome him and his good wife, Natalie, to Fiji at the beginning of what we believe will be a long rewarding partnership. We are on the make. And do not say that I did not warn you!

So, on that warning note, please enjoy the rest of the evening. And good luck to all the teams over the next two days.

Thank you, vinaka vakalevu, sukria, bahoot dhanyavaad.


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