Fiji v South Africa:The early hours of Sunday, September 30th are etched in the hearts and minds of almost everyone in this tropical island paradise. It was a day when 22 determined Fijians slew the Dragons 38-34 and sent a nation of around 850,000 into a frenzy.
Now we are counting down to the quarter-final against South Africa, which kicks off at 1am on Monday (Fiji time). The late nights are taking their toll, with numerous stories of hangovers and missed work days. But last Sunday the Fiji Times sports desk - all four sub-editors and three reporters - worked to put together a 40-page special. No one complained.
In the highlands and on the smaller islands, houses with televisions were packed through the night. Those without tuned in to hear the veteran Fiji Broadcasting Corporation commentator Graham Eden, while others used generators in order to catch the game live on the free-to-air channel.
Sunday's win has given the 15-man game a new lease of life in a land where sevens rugby is king. The king could soon be deposed: this week the Fiji sevens team - world champions in 1997 and 2005 - began their first training camp for the 2007-08 IRB Sevens World Series. There was barely a soul there to watch them, which is unheard of.
After the Wales game the feeling was one of utter disbelief that the nation had made the last eight of the World Cup, but now every Fijian is oozing with confidence for the quarter-final. If we can do it in sevens, why not in 15s?
"On our day we can beat the best in the world," said Mosese Taga, the prop who captained Fiji at the 1991 World Cup. What unfolded in the opening 30 minutes against Wales, however, stunned many as the Fijians scored 25 unanswered points. "The most extraordinary half-hour in the history of the Rugby World Cup," said commentator Nigel Starmer-Smith.
Given World Cup contracts worth FJ$15,000 (€6,800) each, little was expected from a team missing its top winger, Rupeni Caucaunibuca, ruled out after serving a drugs ban in France. The unexpected departure of the Kiwi coach Wayne Pivac in February did not help and eyebrows were raised when a former Australia backrower, Ilivasi Tabua, was named as head coach for the trip to France and Wales. If the lack of cash, resources and top-class competition hampered preparations, however, the players did not let it show.
"One thing we pride ourselves on is our love of rugby," said the centre Seru Rabeni after the win over Wales. "We don't play for money, we play for passion."
Now the talk here is of a cash bonus, a public holiday and a grand celebration, regardless of what happens now. "We have done very well so far and they [ the team] will get what they deserve when they return," the sports minister, Lekh Ram Vayeshnoi, said. This will be discussed at a cabinet meeting next Tuesday with the prime minister, Commodore Frank Bainimarama, who returned yesterday from the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
Sevens legend Waisale Serevi once said "rugby helps build bridges" in Fiji, hinting at the sport's promotion of multi-racialism and unity in the face of the political stalemate of the past. The victory over Wales saw men, women and children move away from the stereotypes that have bedevilled Fiji and hit the streets at five in the morning, celebrating as if Christmas had come early. Hopefully, New Year will follow. Boks, beware.
Manoj Kumar is deputy sports editor of theFiji Times
