Fiji creates rugby history

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The NZ Barbarians hard at training for their game against Fiji in 1973. Picture: FT FILE

Fiji beat the New Zealand Barbarians 11-3 at Buckhurst Park, Suva, in a game to mark Fiji Rugby Union’s diamond jubilee.

This historic win was reported in The Fiji Times on October 15, 1973. Even though Fiji won, the report stated Fiji still had a lot to learn from the New Zealanders.

The Barbarians, with top New Zealand players, demonstrated good tight play and tactical switching.

Fiji on the other hand, showed its class with speed but suffered the usual problem of not winning enough possession.

Fiji scored two tries in that match. Short passes by the Barbarians delighted the 10,000-plus spectators.

Fiji’s mishandling errors mounted and it took them a while to settle. The team got things right in the later stages of the second half with classic open rugby.

Giant lock Ilaitia Tuisese was perhaps the man of the match, proving his reputation as Fiji’s best man in the loose. He was on the ball all the time and his tackling was superb.

It was Tuisese, more than anyone else, who was the most aggressive player for the local side and he twice saved Fiji from sure tries when he intercepted those passes.

It was hard to make special mention of any Barbarian player because there was little difference between them, the report added.

The Barbarians took play into Fiji territory right from the kick-off by Isimeli Batibasaga. Fiji’s play was uncertain as the New Zealanders switched play and varied their tactics.

Captain Colin Meads, with support from Ian Kirkpatrick and Ken Stewart, drove through the Fiji pack.

Fiji’s Ravuama Latilevu missed a try as he was tackled short of the tryline after Rodney Samuels scooped up a pass from Senitiki Nasave.

Wame Gavidi took the inside pass from Samuels and fed Latilevu, who ran about 30 yards before going down in a tackle from Fergie McCormick.

Batibasaga’s boots failed in his two penalty attempts at goal.

Then the Barbarians displayed some brilliant moves and in one of those moves, Tuisese intercepted a pass from Mark Sayers to Rod Jones. Then came the first try when Nasave beat McCormick into the corner for Fiji.

Aminiasi Natuiyaga, who came in at fullback in the only change because Tevita Rabuli was not fit for the game, made the overlap. Nasave passed to Latilevu, who passed back to Nasave for the try. Batibasaga failed in his conversion attempt.

Fiji could have gone four points ahead but No. 8 Andy Leslie’s interception after Latilevu passed to Nasave stopped the try. Fiji still held a four-point lead at half time.

McCormick, who played a great game for the visitors, narrowed the gap five minutes into the second half when he kicked a penalty after referee Derek Robinson penalised Batibasaga for offside 35 yards from the posts.

Latilevu came into the picture again six minutes later when he intercepted a pass from Mark Sayers to John McLachlan and sprinted 40 yards before Leslie caught him from behind near the line.

Fiji began to show its paces especially among the backline from where Nasave spearheaded the attack on the Barbarians.

Fiji’s pack began to win possession from the line-outs. Fiji went further ahead when second five eighth Wame Gavidi weaved and dodged his way through to beat McCormick’s desperate tackle and touch down 20 yards from the posts.

Schoolchildren raced to the field to congratulate both teams and lifted McCormick to their shoulders as he came off the field.

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