TEIVOVO.COM – FMF FLYING FIJIANS

One of the biggest finds of 2002, Rawaqa was still 21 when he made his Test debut in the victory over Samoa in Apia.

After four matches as substitute, the lanky Lautoka lad made his first run-on start against Tonga in the 47-20 win at Prince Charles Park in Nadi, and celebrated with a well-worked try from 35 metres out when he raced onto a chip over the top from Seru Rabeni.

Rawaqa’s light build makes him an ideal line-out jumper, but he is also equipped with speed to match most wingers. Injury saw him miss the 2003 early-season trials and thus he didn’t feature in the warm-up matches in Australia or against Tonga.

When Api Naevo pulled up lame in the first match of the New Zealand tour last August, Rawaqa was called up and he didn’t disappoint. He also led his provincial team Lautoka to both major trophies in Fiji in 2003 – the Telecom Fiji Cup and the Farebrother-Sullivan Trophy, which is a challenge competition a la Ranfuly Shield.

A back injury in late September 2003 nearly put paid to Rawaqa’s chances at the World Cup, but he had a remarkable recovery.

Now playing for World in Japan, Rawaqa played an important role in Fiji’s winning Pacific Tri-Nations 2005 team. Named as one of the five Players of the Year by Rakavi 2004.

Rawaqa proved that he also has pace to burn when he outran the Wales backline to score under the posts in what was so nearly a historical win for Fiji at Cardiff in 2005.

Also a member of Fiji's 2005 World Cup 7s squad and scored a crucial try in the semi-finals against England.


Fiji record
2002

1 June	v SAMOA at Apia Park in Apia	W	17-16
7 June	v TONGA at Teufaiva Stadium in Nukualofa	W	47-22
22 June	v SAMOA at Prince Charles Park in Nadi	L	12-22
29 June	v NEW ZEALAND at Westpac Trust in Wellington	L	18-68
6 July	v TONGA at Prince Charles Park in Nadi	W	47-20	T
17 Nov	v IRELAND at Lansdowne Road in Dublin	L	17-64	(+61)

2003

6 Aug	v Canterbury at Jade Stadium in Christchurch	w	41-38	(+65)
9 Aug	v Marlborough at Lansdowne Park in Blenheim	w	75-12	t
18 Aug	v ARGENTINA at Cordoba Stadium in Cordoba	L	30-49	(+40)
24 Aug	v CHILE at Prince of Wales Club in Santiago	W	41-16
11 Oct	v FRANCE at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane	L	18-61
15 Oct	v USA at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane	W	19-18
1 Nov	v SCOTLAND at Aussie Stadium in Sydney	L	20-22

2004

5 June	v TONGA at Teufaiva in Nukualofa	W	27-26
12 June	v SAMOA at the National Stadium in Suva	W	29-3
6 Nov	v NZ Div XV at Post Fiji Stadium in Suva	l	25-34
13 Nov	v NZ Div XV at Churchill Park in Lautoka	w	61-22

2005

3 Jun	v NZ MAORIS at National Stadium in Suva	L	27-29	(-52)
10 Jun	v NEW ZEALAND at North Harbour Stadium in Albany	L	0-91	(-58)
25 Jun	v TONGA at National Stadium in Suva	W	19-11
9 Jul	v SAMOA at Apia Park in Apia	L	10-36
16 Jul	v TONGA at Teufaiva Stadium in Nuku'alofa	W	24-19	(-54)
30 Jul	v SAMOA at National Stadium in Suva	W	21-15	(-54)
2 Nov	v NZ Div XV at Churchill Park in Lautoka	w	39-29	(-42)
11 Nov	v WALES at Millennium Stadium in Cardiff	L	10-11	T
19 Nov	v PORTUGAL at Estadio Universitario in Lisbon	W	26-17
26 Nov	v ITALY at Stadio Brianteo in Monza	L	8-23	(yc)

2006

3 Jun	v Junior All Blacks at National Stadium in Suva	l	17-35
10 Jun	v TONGA at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford	L	23-24
17 Jun	v ITALY at Churchill Park in Lautoka	W	29-18	(-17)

2007

26 May	v JAPAN at Churchill Park in Lautoka	W	30-15	(+60)
2 June	v Junior All Blacks at National Stadium in Suva	L	8-57	(-60)
9 June	v AUSTRALIA at Subiaco Oval in Perth	L	0-49	(-61)
16 June	v TONGA at Churchill Park in Lautoka	L	15-21

Pacific Islanders
2004

20 Jun	v QLD XV at Ballymore in Brisbane	w	48-29
25 Jun	v NSW Waratahs at Aussie Stadium in Sydney	w	68-21
3 Jul	v AUSTRALIA at Adelaide Oval in Adelaide	L	14-29
10 Jul	v NEW ZEALAND at North Harbour Stadium in Albany	L	26-41

Key:	T = try, C = conversion, P = penalty goal, DG = dropped goal (+) = substitute, (-) replaced, rc = red card, yc = yellow card

Record by nation:

Team	P	W	D	L	t	c	p	dg	pts
Australia	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Argentina	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Chile	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Ireland	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Italy	2	1	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
France	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Japan	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
New Zealand	2	-	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
NZ Maoris	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Portugal	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Samoa	5	3	-	2	-	-	-	-	-
Scotland	1	-	-	1	-	-	-	-	-
Tonga	7	5	-	2	1	-	-	-	5
USA	1	1	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Wales	1	-	-	1	1	-	-	-	5
Totals	27	13	0	14	2	0	0	0	10

Fiji 7s:
2005 – Rugby World Cup 7s in Hong Kong

Teams:
1997 – U19 Fiji School Secondary School trialist
1997 – Vuda Rugby Club, Lautoka
1997-2003 – Lautoka - Telecom Fiji Cup and Farebrother winners 2003
2004-07 – World (Japan)

School:
1993 – RKS

Father’s village: Viseisei
Mother’s village: Kadavu
Grew up in Viseisei, Fiji

Likes: Watching movies and rugby, picnics, visiting friends and attending Sunday services
Best rugby memory: when i first sang the national anthem in apia against Samoa. I cant stop the tears
Funniest rugby memory: When one of my team-mates was slapped by the ref during a club game.