Page 35 - IB AUG 2018

Book Review

absorb local culture and sieve what were they did not get into temptations when ning all the games. Not all risks had
positive for building his team. There are released on weekends. Many Fiji play- been eliminated. Save Rawaca’s ego
other incidents in his book about the ers, Ben noted, had so much talent they and indiscipline in Rio almost lost the
negative influence of Fijian informality believed there was a little need to train. team mission.
and common thoughtless interruptions One he called a “genius” and phenom- Did Ben Ryan provide the answers to
from Fijians living overseas visiting enal talent is Pio Tuwai. He did not see Fiji? Well he did bring the Gold medals
players in their hotels who could not a reason why he should train hard and that the country craved. But has he left a
say no. Ben Ryan writes in an amusing so was dropped from the Olympic team. legacy for us to preserve and learn from?
way with perception and no undertone His brother, Josua Tuisova, in Ben’s view That is the challenge as he observed:
of condescension. He is a genuine egali- was the opposite. A model player with “I had always known whatever
tarian who sees people as they are. It is many years ahead for Fiji. Others like you build in Fiji can fall apart within
what makes the book so refreshing and Aisake Katonibau were first rate talents weeks. There is no legacy in Fiji, only
a joy to read, being able to see ourselves but lacked discipline or were disrup- another day and another struggle.”
from the eyes of an outsider who really tive. Ironically a soldier, Katonibau was So, will Fiji always need foreign
loved the people he was living intensely dropped from the team because of lack coaches to keep the sevens teams to
with. Prime Minister Bainimarama’s in- of discipline. As Ben observed “talent professional standards of fitness and
tense interest in him and the Fiji team’s is a coach to harness but a player build a consistent winning legacy with
performance is also entertaining. He to waste.” our lack of resources? I don’t know. Ben
might not appreciate Ben’s frankness Many do not know that the brilliant had his egalitarian culturally conscious
in this book. Vatemo Ravouvou suffers from fits of team building approach that worked. I
Osea Kolinisau, his choice of captain, epilepsy. His parents told Ben they be- may not agree with him in his dismis-
was opposed by those who thought he lieved he was cursed by some jealous sive opinion of Gordon Tietjen’s hard au-
was a “has been” who had been cast a villagers who believed he was getting thoritarian training method. I remember
drift from his French contract. Ben took too big for his boots. The English man the great NZ Sevens captain Eric Rush
a punt on Osea and he turned out to be was fascinated by the easy acceptance in his book he told Waisele Serevi that if
the right leader the development team by Fijians of Christianity with belief Tietjen was Fiji’s coach they would never
needed. He became partner and adviser in evil spirits and “vakadraunikau,” lose a game. A Tietjen’s type coach might
in managing relationships and disciplin- alternative traditional medicines and work too for Fiji as it would appeal to the
ing players who succumbed to the many healing, in place of scientific treatment Fijian authority, respecting and loyalty
temptations, like drinking too much and medicines. side of the Fijian cultural character.
yaqona (kava) or alcohol and getting I liked Ben’s story of the rise of Jerry Ben Ryan also candidly revealed an
lazy or drunk, smoking, eating sweets Tuwai best. He was a shy kid who was important part of him that he had kept
and junk food. For example, Semi Ku- once spotted 4 years earlier but lasted secret. The widening difference between
natani turning up one morning drunk only one camp because he was consid- him and his wife Natalie that ended in
and was put through 200 metre sprints ered too small and was not told that civilised divorce after their Fiji experi-
until he was on his knees retching. Osea was the reason. Ben believes many ence. They were good people who loved
quietly told him, “you are talented, but talented kids are lost to rugby in Fiji, but were just different in how they
you are lucky you’re still in the team.” because they are not given the early wanted to live. Such is life.
There was also collective punishment. If recognition and encouragement they Ben’s summation of what Fiji taught
a member of the team did not make the need. Fortunate for Fiji, Ben and Osea, him:
400 metre sprint, the whole team did it spotted Tuwai again at the Marist Sev- “Loving the people around me
again as punishment. Ben thought this ens Tournament and gave him another properly, grateful for my health and
was consistent with Fijian communal chance. He had rotten teeth and Ben’s happiness. Fiji changed me, taught
culture. experience of taking him to the dentist is me more about myself at an age
They were a number of players who a special. He and his parents were very when I thought I knew all about the
were talented but did not make it be- poor, and Ben nurtured and encouraged big stuff.”
cause they could not fit the vision of a Tuwai, showing he cared for him. The As for his lost brother Noel, the team
self-sustaining, set disciplined group of visit to his parents to offer a contract with whom he achieved Olympic Gold
players who set their own standards of is moving. they were his new-found brothers. Out
behaviour and fitness collectively. Ev- This book shows how difficult are the of them he nurtured and achieved the
eryone was expected to make their own challenges of moulding Fijian players dream. He also learnt so much from
analysis on how to crack other team’s with great natural talent but bad habits, them about the fragilities of human
defences without relying too much on body conditions and lack of fitness. At existence and human relationship in the
the coach to tell them. A team that would his first tournament on the Gold Coast, struggle to be the best.
remain calm and fight back when on the Ben did a standard fitness exercise The FRU would not believe Ben was
verge of defeat. Nacanieli Cawanibuka with the whole team and proved he not staying right up to his departure.
and William Koong were also important was physically fitter than everyone in He had decided that the next stage of
to the success because they were well the team there. An indication of how his life is in his home, England. He will
organised and professional in their roles the Fiji teams had not been playing to sometimes return because Fiji is now
and gave valuable advice. their potential for years. He succeeded part of him.
Ben took many visits to local tourna- in moulding a team to a professional His contribution to Fiji will never
ments to identify talents. He also visited motivated one. Such that by the time be forgotten.
parents of players to explain to them the of the Olympics the team was relaxed,
potential of the player and to ensure enjoying itself and confident of win- r jonedakuvula66@yahoo.com

Islands Business,August 2018 35