The Fiji Rugby Team
Rugby is in our blood at Aubin. And in the case of Fiji Rugby (everyone’s favourite team), it is quite literally in our blood. Step forward David Silvester, big brother of the Aubin creative powerhouse duo that is the Silvester Twins, Rachel & Helen.
David Silvester is the Strength and Conditioning coach for the Fiji Rugby team. And that is some strength to condition…..So, it seemed only fitting when the guys landed in the UK this month that the Silvesters should have a family get together to meet up with the team and to hear their story.
The Fijian Rugby Team is a true David & Goliath story. Their flair and physicality is renowned and they’ve taken more than their fair share of big scalps over the last few years. Watching them play wrecks your nerves as their natural exuberance often bubbles over and then the opposition capitalises. But it is impossible not to be totally seduced by their thrilling, running style of rugby.
Fijian rugby is rugby at its absolute finest.
Fiji is one of the few countries where rugby union is the main sport. The stats say approximately 80,000 registered players from a population of 950,000. So, they are definitely into it!
Rugby has strong links to the Fijian lifestyle, community and national pride. Watching the team play with the Fijian supporters is like watching the game with your extended family. Very soon you’ll be humming along to their melodic harmonies as they sing their support.
Fiji rugby doesn’t have as much cash swilling about as many of the other larger nations, but they do a whole lot with a little. And it’s with this determination that they’ve become a true favourite within the game.
We met up with some of the players at the Queens Vault Pub, a few doors down from the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, spiritual home of Welsh Rugby. A true rugby pre- and post-match destination. The regulars looked a little wary as the lads walked in. They definitely weren’t local, and with the impending match looming some may have been thinking of sabotage. But as soon as the guys started to talk, smile and warm everyone up, the riot was abated.
[Afterwards David mentioned the last match they played against Wales, ended up with a Welsh fan head butting the huge Fijian Team bus as they left the stadium (obviously after a few shandies), so we weren’t fancying our chances!]
We chatted with Frank Lomani (Scrum Half), Waisea Nayacalevu (Centre) Sam Matavesi (Hooker) and Tevita Ikanivere (Hooker). One thing you can say about all the boys is the sense of pride that playing rugby for their country gives them. It shines through every pore of their body. They are impossible not to like, even when they’re playing pool and the competitive sports persona fires up.
Being part of the Fijian team has changed their lives. Giant killers may be too much of a moniker. But these lads love nothing more than to be underdogs and beat the big teams. This tiny Pacific Island nation, can hold its own and then some in rugby. Fiji, population 950,00, defeated Australia, population 25 million, at the last World Cup. And each one of the guys couldn’t resist mentioning with a giant smile across his face, their win against England in 2023. Ouch.
We asked David (aka Tweety) what makes the boys so special. He said - “The will to get on with anything. Whatever is thrown at them, they’ll find a way to overcome it. And that ingratiates them to become really, really good. Things will never faze them.”
“Seeing boys get better and better and start to see the rewards from all the hard work they put in is really satisfying, be that Fijians or English players, that’s very satisfying”
An ex-Royal Marine PTI, Tweety’s sporting career has spanned a few years now and has seen successful tenures as part of the England coaching team as well as with Fiji. Getting to a World Cup final with England, then beating England with Fiji at Twickenham and then getting to the quarter finals at the last world cup with Fiji are just some of the highlights.
In this day and age, everyone says it’s not all about the winning. But it actually is. Especially if the win is a sweet, sweet victory and a two finger salute to all the naysayers exclaiming it can’t be done.
Follow the team on social @Fijirugbyunion
We'd also like to say a massive thank you to the team at the Queens Vault pub, who were brilliant.
