Rugby: Another stellar talent appears in Fiji's colours

By CHRIS RATTUE

Filimoni Delasau, the Fijian wing who tore New Zealand apart in the Wellington international sevens rugby final, says he skipped the chance to play in last year's World Cup "because the time wasn't right."

Delasau has become the latest Fijian sevens sensation and is averaging more than 12 tries a tournament halfway through the new international series.

He said one New Zealand union - believed to be North Harbour - had approached him, but his major aim was a Super 12 contract. His fellow sevens star Marika Vunibaka will play for the Crusaders this season.

The 22-year-old Delasau, who plays in Lautoka, will attract interest from professional rugby union and league clubs after another brilliant sevens tournament, culminating in his performance in Fiji's 24-14 win over Eric Rush's New Zealand side in Saturday's final.

The tournament in Wellington proved a major success for the capital, although long queues at the food and drink outlets at the new stadium were a major problem.

And New Zealand's and Fiji's continued dominance of the sevens circuit is becoming a problem for rugby bosses who are using sevens as a tool to break into new areas and markets. They have contested every final, with Fiji winning three out of five, and no other country appears close to providing a challenge.

Delasau's sidestep, pace and ball-skills left New Zealand defenders grasping, while veteran sevens supremo Waisale Serevi and Vunibaka were also in great form.

While sevens players do not always make the grade in 15s, it is still a mystery why Delasau has yet to make a mark for his country, especially as the transition is easier for outside backs.

The flying wing said he walked out on his World Cup chance by failing to turn up for Fiji's final trial last year.

"I suddenly realised the time wasn't right for me," he said. "I didn't even tell the selectors, and [coach] Brad Johnstone wasn't too pleased.

"I was way ahead of the other backs in the fitness trials, but I just knew it wasn't my time. I wanted to work on things about my game and especially my upper-body strength.

"I know I can play at the next World Cup."

Delasau does much of his training on the root crop farm he owns. He described himself as "not a natural like Serevi" and said he had worked hard on modelling his game on that of rugby league wing Noa Nadruku.

His aim of playing for Fiji meant he would not be interested in rugby league offers.

New Zealand and Fiji completed an inevitable march to Saturday's final. New Zealand whipped Australia 19-0 and Fiji took out Samoa 47-12 in the semifinals.

While the near-capacity crowd took some liberties in chanting "All Blacks," the home side were always struggling in the final.

It was still a stirring finish to New Zealand's first major sevens tournament and the atmosphere built superbly.

But sevens will have credibility problems if other countries do not take the game as seriously or reach the levels of the two heavyweights.

The other countries hardly had a big-name player among them, and France arrived only in the early hours of Friday, the tournament's first day.

But those problems were far from the minds of the Fijians, and Delasau said the presence of Jonah Lomu, who mixed strong runs with some poor handling, and Christian Cullen in the New Zealand side made Fiji's victory more sweet.

"Even winning in Hong Kong doesn't rate with this - anyone can win there," he said.

"Winning in New Zealand is what we really wanted and doing it when they had Lomu and Cullen made it even better."

New Zealand captain Rush said his side had been scratchy, and had missed Super 12 players like Orene Ai'i, although they could not complain with Cullen, Lomu and Caleb Ralph around.

"Some Super 12 sides didn't want to release their players and they have got their own things to worry about," he said. "The better team won."