By Iliesa Tora of RNZ
Daily devotions at the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga team camps are critical to all three teams. It has been a part of their team culture since the three nations started playing rugby decades ago.
Having their lotu (prayer) every morning and evening has become part of the team’s official programme. No less here at the Rugby World Cup in France.
They say players need to be physically, mentally and spiritually prepared for any commitment.
The physical aspects have seen teams, thanks to more consistent World Cup funding, secure top trainers and strength and conditioning coaches have been recruited. All three Pacific teams at the World Cup have done that.
They also have specialist coaches in the different sets of game skills - scrum coaches, forward coaches, backline coaches, contact coaches, kicking coaches and the list goes on.
All that makes sure players get top-level training and coaching - but still less than the developed nations - so they can go out and perform to their full potential.
While tier-one teams get in sports psychologists who try to ensure that players are psychologically prepared, the three Pacific teams turn to what they know best - the church and spiritual guidance.
They have their own people, who speak their language, understand their mindsets and can relate to them and their situations.
These “specialists” understand the Bible and its relation to players and how the stories in the Holy Book can be used to motivate players as they prepare for the calls of duty.
Flying Fijian coach Simon Raiwalui alluded to that at the post-match press conference after his side stunned the Wallabies in Saint-Entienne 22-15 last Monday morning (NZ time).
Journalists were interested to find out how the Fijians dealt with their mental preparations, especially after the disappointing loss to Wales the week earlier.
“There is a difference between the developed and developing nations, but we have been very lucky with our sponsors,” he told the media. “We may not get the luxuries of the sports psychologists, but we are lucky we have other things.
“We are able to bring in a reverend. You talk about mental well-being but our mental well-being is in connection with our religion and people. Our game and campaign is geared towards us being Fijians.”
The Fijians have senior Methodist Church minister Reverend Joji Rinakama.
He is also a former player, a former Flying Fijians assistant coach and a former winning provincial coach in Fiji, holding one of the most impressive coaching records in Fiji with the Nadroga rugby team.
Players respect him, as a minister and a former player/coach.
Tonga has Pastor Tevita Koloi. Samoa also have their own.
These “specialists” connect the players to their culture, their tradition, their country and their families. They help keep the players focused. They assist the players when they are down.
Raiwalui said they are of great help and in Fiji’s case the players just had to learn to deal with what they have but hope that one day World Rugby would grant them more matches to help them develop further.
“We always want more resources but you have to make do with what you have. I would take more matches over resources. The more matches we get at this level - I’m talking outside of the World Cup - if Fiji can get these tier-one matches more regularly, you’ve seen what these boys can do when they get competition.”
In July, the teams all went home to reconnect with their people, get their blessings and support.
In France, the prayers, from within the team camps and from those of their fans and families around the globe, are a critical part of their daily routine.
The Fijians have gone a step further - thanks to their Renaissance Hotel camp management in Bordeaux who have created a special wall for messages, well wishes and prayers sent to the team.
Raiwalui said that has helped make the team feel at home - they returned to the Bordeaux hotel on Monday after their Sunday victory over the Wallabies.
On the field the players acknowledge the divine assistance publicly - prayers are offered before and after matches, hymns are sung and there is pointing to the skies or the heavens.
Fijian skipper Waisea Nayacalevu opened his post-match interview after the Australia game thanking god.
“In 1997 the media teams at the Government Stadium in So Kon Po hunted me down in my media seat area to ask what sponsor was on the Fijian 7s team’s jersey as they played Samoa in the quarterfinal of the then Rugby World Cup 7s tournament,” Raiwalui said.
“I told them that it was not the name of a sponsor or company but a Bible verse that has helped inspire the Fijians in that event.
“Phil 4:13 - it became the biggest story of that tournament as journalists shared their stories on how a Bible verse inspired Fiji to win the Melrose Cup back then.”
It’s the same for the three Pacific teams now at the World Cup in France.
The Tonga and Samoa camps have announced injuries to some of their players and named the replacements who will take over from them.
The ‘Ikale Tahi have announced that Lisiate Tokolahi has arrived for Feao Fotuaika and Patrick Pellegrini for Otumaka Mausia. Manu Samoa is sending Luteru Tolai back home as well after he sustained an injury at training.
Tokolahi and Pellegrini have joined Tonga’s camp and will be available for selection this weekend when the team meets Scotland in a must-win game in Nice. Samoa have yet to name their replacement player.
Fiji has already welcomed Vilimoni Botitu, who played as a second-half replacement last Monday morning.
A bonus for the Pacific teams is the fact that several of their players also ply their trade in Europe and would be ready to fly in and join their teams if they are called up as injury replacements.
Both Samoa and Tonga have tough must-win matches this coming weekend. Samoa have got Argentina and Tonga play Scotland.
Samoa has one win under their belt and are second in Pool D, behind England, following their win over Chile last weekend.
Head coach Vaovasamanaia Seilala Mapusua has stated the Pumas will come out firing, as they also need a win to stay in contention to progress beyond the pool stage.
Mapusua is confident his side will also hit the ground running after this week’s preparations.
“We’re going to have to do a lot of work between now and next Friday if we’re to compete against a wounded Los Pumas. We know they will come out firing. No, we’re not where we need to be but I’m confident we can get there.”
Tonga are in fourth place in Pool B and will need to beat Scotland to maintain any hopes of a quarter-final spot. South Africa and Romania are their other opponents.
‘Ikale Tahi coach Toutai Kefu said they have to up their game from their last performance against Ireland.
“I think the effort was actually quite good from our guys, just poor execution. Some poor reads in defence let in some tries on first phase, which is an easy fix but really poor execution at the time, or decision-making. We’ve just got to flush it, take the positives, learn from it and move on.
“If we play like that again, Scotland will put plenty on us and we certainly don’t want that.
“We’ll dissect this performance, we’ll regroup. We’re still in this competition, hopefully, we’ll be able to throw a little bit more punches next week.”
While the tournament progresses, journalists have asked whether World Rugby bosses will give the Pacific teams more international game time
after the Rugby World Cup?
Fiji’s assistant coach and former rep Seremaia Bai says the Pacific sides have been dealt a raw blow, like the other tier-two teams.
And they need more big games and a place in the Rugby Championship that is being touted.
“I’ll give you an example, I played for Fiji for probably 14 years, but I only played 53 Test matches. As guys from Australia and New Zealand they may only play six years and manage to play 100 Test matches,” he told the media.
“You can see the difference between gaining that experience versus the tier-two nations where we always struggle to be competing sustainably at the highest level. We need to have a crack and participate.
“It would be a massive, massive boost for such a small country as Fiji. If you want to be the best you have to play with the best and New Zealand and Australia are not far away from Fiji. I think you have seen the local boys playing for Drua, the second year they managed to reach the quarter-final so imagine how we can perform as a national team consistently.”
Tongan flyhalf William Havili said the same after their loss to Ireland last weekend.
“More tier-one games would benefit us, the younger group coming through. I know there’s a few older heads in the group at the moment but if we can keep pushing for harder games, we can hopefully build on that,” Havili said.
Big Tongan prop Ben Tameifuna supported Havili’s sentiments.
“One-hundred-and-ten per cent. If we are exposed to this kind of rugby at this level - I think our last game against a top nation was against England in 2021. It was quite a while back we got to test ourselves against a tier-one nation,” he added.
Raiwalui said they will continue to push their performance and hopefully get the chance to play more Tests against tier-one teams.
“It’s always about being included in those competitions,” he said.
“We have had that mindset from the beginning, if we do things right and prepare right we will be in every match. Yes, we want to be involved in those things moving forward but today is about today.
“If you get consistent results the rewards will come. Other teams are pushing for that as well. If a new tournament comes in, if those matches become available we have our hand up, we are ready.”
So while the three Pacific teams continue their on-the-field battle there is also the off-the-field battle they are fighting, in the hope that they can get a fairer deal from World Rugby.
They believe their spiritual support programme, coupled with their physical preparations and being given more game time against other tier-one nations will propel rugby development in the Pacific.
There is hope that after France the door of opportunities will open a little bit more.
His eldest brother said they were struggling to comprehend their sudden loss.