Former All Black Joeli Vidiri's death has shocked many, including ex Northland rep Joeli Veitayaki who was close to Vidiri.
Photo / NZME
Former All Black Joeli Vidiri's death has shocked many, including ex Northland rep Joeli Veitayaki who was close to Vidiri.
Photo / NZME
Jo Veitayaki's most humorous story about former teammate Joeli Vidiri was what happened when the latter got drunk on a rugby tour to South Africa and couldn't deliver a talk to locals.
"I was asked to deliver the speech as I shared the same surname with him. When I arrived,the locals said 'You look bigger but on TV you look smaller'. They didn't know I wasn't Vidiri." Veitayaki shared the anecdote upon learning of Vidiri's passing away in the United States last week.
The two Fijians were part of the Blues Super 12 side that went to play the Stormers in South Africa when Vidiri was requested to meet and talk to the locals.
The 48-year-old, two-test All Black died in his new wife's arms after suffering a trio of cardiac arrests while battling Covid in America.
Whangārei-based Veitayaki remembers meeting him for the first time in 1994 when he was part of the Fiji 15s side that toured New Zealand.
"I was playing for King Country back then. One of the Fijian props got injured and I was asked to replace him which I did. That's when I met Vidiri for the first time. He was just 19, fresh out of high school in Fiji and had just made the Fijian 7s and 15s sides.
"When they were here, there was some talk of Vidiri replacing Luke Erenavula at Countries. Vidiri was keen to learn at the time because he was young and had since always supported young Fijian rugby players that came to New Zealand to play.
"Like Rupeni Caucau, Vidiri had the ability to conjure up something special from nothing on the field. Give him the ball and he'll do the rest.
"It's quite sad news for us. He's going to be sorely missed because he always welcomed teams or players from Fiji visiting New Zealand. I personally lost a great friend," Veitayaki lamented.
Former Northland prop Joeli Veitayaki is among many in the rugby fraternity mourning the death of former All Black Joeli Vidiri. Photo / NZME
When he spoke to Vidiri last month, Veitayaki said the former All Black was in a jovial mood as always and no one within his inner circle of friends had an inkling he would be gone so soon.
Vidiri became a cult hero in New Zealand with his initial heroics for the Blues and Counties Manukau.
After becoming eligible to play for his adopted country, he earned two caps for the All Blacks in 1998, as well as winning a gold medal with the New Zealand Sevens team at that year's Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur.
