A weekly look at the game's other talking points
NATIONALITY is a pretty fluid concept in the South Pacific with families regularly moving between all the Pacific islands and Australia and New Zealand so we shouldn't be surprised at the considerable Fiji influence in Wallaby sides in recent decades.
For example, three of the current Wallabies squad who played Fiji on Sunday – Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete and Suliasi Vunivalu – were all born in Fiji while Mark Nawaqanitawase, Rob Valetini, Langi Gleeson and Issak Fines-Leleiwasa are all Fijian heritage players and theoretically could have chosen to play for Fiji rather than Australia.
Australia of course have ‘mined' other Pacific nations with both Tonga and Samoa well represented over the years but their most enduring relationship is probably with Fiji with significant expat communities in Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne.
From that base, and with the support of the sometimes maligned Australian Rugby Union, came the early genesis of the burgeoning Fijian Drua side which was allowed to compete, with a fair degree of success, for three years in the Australian National Rugby Championship before they were reconstituted into a Super Rugby franchise.
So there has been plenty of goodwill as well as the occasional ‘poaching' and that probably harks back to a remarkable short tour over 60 years ago when the original “flying Fijians” endeared themselves to the Aussie public and made history with a 17-15 win over the Wallabies at the Sydney Cricket Ground in front of a bumper 42,004 crowd.
Before that, Fiji had largely earned a reputation around the Pacific region for their athletic if ill-disciplined forwards but the class of 52 was packed with talented backs, not least Josefa Levula who had pace to burn on the wing.
Levula had first impressed in New Zealand the previous year when his two tries inspired a win over New Zealand Maori, an individual performance that saw him nominated as one of the five players of the year by the New Zealand Rugby almanac.
A year later, although not on the scoresheet, he was the catalyst for everything good from Fiji as they took their first scalp on the world scene in that game at Sydney which seems to have been airbrushed out of history. Two weeks earlier Fiji had pushed the Aussies hard before going down 15-9 at the same venue in front of a modest sceptical 1,300 crowd who didn't really know what to expect.
The £10,000+ receipts from the second Test and the bumper attendance is widely credited with saving Australian financially after disappointing attendances in the Test series against New Zealand the previous year had seen the hosts make a considerable loss. Mostly they came to see Levula.
NOTABLE FIJIAN-BORN WALLABIES
Suliasi Vunivalu: Born Suva. High quality wing, former Fijian Rugby League international and Melbourne Storm star who has returned to Rugby Union with the Reds.
Samu Kerevi: Born Viseisei. Former Fiji U20 star has developed into a world class centre with the Reds, Suntory Sun Goliaths and Australia.
Taqele Naiyaravoro: Born Sigatoka. Huge powerful unit on the wing who was much liked at Northampton. Former Fiji Rugby League international.
Tevita Kuridrani: Born Suva. Former Fiji U20 rep who was recruited by Australia U20 the next year. Made a huge impact at centre and wing.
Isi Naisarani: Born Naitasiri. Powerful No.8 who scored 14 tries in 61 Super Rugby appearances. Currently playing for Shizuoka Blue Revs in Japan.
Marika Koroibete: Born Naraiyawa. Outstanding schoolboy player in Fiji, blockbusting wing who strikes feat into all opponents. Fiji Rugby League international.
Sefa Naivalu: Born Levuka. 10.5 100m speedster who did well for the Melbourne Rebels and won 9 caps before moving to France and Stade Francais.
Eto Nabuli: Born Sigatoka. Big back five forward, another to play Rugby League for Fiji before good form with the Reds attracted Wallabies coach Michael Cheika.
Henry Speight: Imposing wing whose uncle once led a military coup in Fiji. Played for Fiji U19 and Rugby League for the islands before becoming a Wallaby.
Lote Tuqiri: Born Korolevu. Sensational player in both codes. Capped by Fiji at League and Australia in both. Why did Oz stop kicking to him in the 2003 final?
Radike Samo: Born Nadi. Fantastic back five operator who did well for Australia after graduating from the Fiji U19 side. Cousin of Samu Kerevi.
Ilivasi Tabua: Born Naivicula. Flanker known as the human skewer. Played for Fiji, then Australia and then back to Fiji. Coached Fiji at RWC2007.
Acura Niuqila: Born Wainbokasi. Widely considered the first Fijian to play for Australia.15 Tests for Fiji, 3 for Australia. final game was the win over 1989 Lions.
Filipo Daugunu: Born Labasa. Former star for Fiji U20, has learned his trade with the Reds and played seven Tests for the Wallabies thus far.
