IT was not just a camp to prepare a team to the 2008 Rugby League World Cup.
Joe Dakuitoga’s choice in including a youngster in his squad and for Jarryd Hayne to answer the call and put his hands up to represent Fiji’s call remains to be cherished.
Like a small boy taken to school for the first day knowing nothing of what lies ahead, Hayne’s inclusion in the team was something he never expected after being left out by the Australia Kangaroos.
A star of his own with blistering pace and deceptive performance, the former Paramatta Eels back line utility player, with his playing career on the line, met his fate during the Fiji Bati preparations for the world cup.
Dakuitoga, who was a former Fiji Bati winger and now assistant coach to Michael Potter, said the former San Francisco 49ers running back, who now plays for the Gold Coast Titans, shared his intention of quitting rugby league.
Sharing his experience, Dakuitoga said Jarryd was at a Kings Cross incident that involved shooting and counted himself lucky to be alive.
“When he joined our camp, he shared with me how his career in rugby league started to fall off,” Rabele said of Jarryd.
“He was planning on quitting playing rugby league.
“Joining the Bati helped him bring his interest back into the sport.
“We had devotions every day and that’s what drove him.
“I told him during our first conversation, if it was God’s will for you to die during the shooting, you’d be dead by now. God still has a purpose for you to live and joining the Fiji Bati is not by accident.”
Life in Fiji plays a major role in redesigning the life of Hayne when he saw how his teammates, especially the local-based players struggled but at the same time happy. That changed him.
“Something that caught his attention was how we live. With little things we have, we’re still happy. For him, he’s been paid a lot of money, five-star hotels, he’s able to eat at McDonald’s whenever he wants, seeing the local boys’ daily routine made him realise there was still life when there was less money.”
From there on, he started to get close to Pastor Ilaitia Tagituimua, who played a major role in driving the team and said when there was less in the pocket, God was still big and I must commend him (Pastor Tagi) for that seed he planted that day, now bears fruits.
“It was a blessing in disguise after being overlooked by Australia and he turned out to be one of the stars in the 2008 world cup helping Fiji reached the semi-finals. In the match Fiji was brutal in defence against the Kangaroos,” he said.
“After the first week of our camp, Hayne told me it’s just a real reality check for me. The life of the boys brought the fun back within me and my football.”
Dakuitoga said Hayne shared how he saw the camp as one of the best experiences on his sporing career.
Dakuitoga said God touched his life.
The seed have grown and bears a lot of fruits and Dakuitoga shared how the Bati players continue to spread the message they learned in camp.
“In Australia, the Bati boys have created a fellowship group. Kevin Naiqama, Kane Evan and Jason Bukuya had been leading the boys in Australia in their fellowship.
“In fact, Naiqama and Evans run their own ministry, in feeding the homeless and giving them clothes.
“If you see after an NRL game, the Bati players will gather all the Pacific Island players for a short devotion.
Dakuitoga said Potter had been praising the team for the devotion they have been doing.
“During our Test matches, Evans was leading the boys in the devotion which was encouraging. Him together with the rest of the senior boys have the same attitude,” he said.
Before the game against France, Dakuitoga said Pastor Tagi shared with the boys the power in the name of Jesus.
“Pastor Tagi told the boys, when you think you have nothing in the tank, just call out the name of Jesus,” he added.
“I recalled after our game against France in 2008, the boys all testified after the match how powerful that name was. It was a tough clash that everyone who played felt a different kind of power they have during the match. The Sims brothers, Bukuya, James Storer all testified in the change room. In fact Storer is a very different person now when it comes to religion. These NRL players were not born again Christians, they came to know this God when they joined the team.
“The local players’ time in the Fiji Bati camp certainly changed them,” said Dakuitoga.
“But that’s what brought Fiji together. Doing it tough and going through things you don’t have to in a camp like this. In saying that, there are things you get here that you don’t get in that other environment.”
Dakuitoga is a former rugby league player and have been involved in the development of the sport in Fiji. He represented Fiji in the 1995 World Cup and the team in 2008.
He played for the Penrith Panthers in the NSWRL Premiership. He was selected for the Bati squad in the 1995 World Cup. Following this tournament he signed on with the Sheffield Eagles
While helping the Nabua Broncos in the Fiji National Rugby League competition Dakuitoga was appointed the domestic national coach in 2007. In 2008 he took the Fijian squad to the 2008 World Cup as head coach.
