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Rokocoko reveals plan to jump ship for Olympic glory
By Chris Jones
Former All Blacks star Joe Rokocoko has revealed former Fiji 7s coach Ben Ryan tried to get the flying wing to join his team’s Rio Olympics bid that ended in gold medal triumph in 2016.
Nadi born Rokocoko, who moved to New Zealand when he was five-years-old, told the Fiji Times that growing up he had wanted to play for the Fiji 7s having been inspired by the performances of Waisale Serevi at the Hong Kong Sevens tournament. “I would have loved the opportunity," said Rokocoko who scored a staggering 46 tries in 68 matches for the All Blacks before moving to France and playing for Bayonne and Racing Metro.
“Ben messaged me (in 2015) because of this eligibility stuff going around where former internationals began talks of playing for their home country. He asked me if I was interested in playing for the Fiji 7s team.
“He invited me over for a tournament to have a fitness test and train with the 7s players, but unfortunately my club did not release me. In the end, World Rugby scrapped the idea because of the amount of players wanting to change eligibility.”
Those eligibility laws have now been changed by World Rugby allowing players such as Wallaby star Israel Folau and former All Blacks Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau to play for Tonga while former All Blacks centre Setareki Tamanivalu is now in the Fiji squad.
Rokocoko, who had played his last All Blacks test in 2010, added: “Everyone says when I grow up, I would like to be an All Black. For me, I grew up wanting to be a Fiji 7s player. I only knew about the All Blacks when I started playing age-grade rugby in New Zealand.
“The reason why I wanted to be a Fiji 7s player was because of players such as Waisale Serevi. We would wait for the Hong Kong 7s, and in New Zealand it would come on television late at night and we did not care about school the next day.”
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Latest Comments
You forget that this was the 3rd Test between the AB's and the English this year. They were prepared and they knew how to keep NZ quiet. The Boks is not NZ.
The Boks is a whole other level. You overestimate England and underestimate the Boks. Clearly you haven't really looked at the teams. Besides the Irish games earlier this year, the Boks have mainly used experimental sides, even against the AB's.
Now they have chosen their best team available. They have targeted this game. The Boks mean business. Man for man, this Bok team is better. In strategy and player abilities there is no comparison and they are outmatched.
There isn't just monster strength, but unreal speed. In broken play there is currently no better team as well as defensively, not to even talk about the attacking threat, both from front and the back.
I'd say read between the lines, see what everyone is seeing, but clearly you are wearing blinders and is also putting too much emphasis on an AB's team the Boks beat twice this year, the same AB's that beaten England 3 times this year.
When Rassie gets serious, the players become machines. There is no stopping them. That bench is loaded with players that is fast, strong and have exceptional skills. This is a team not many teams will face before the 2027 WC, because the Boks doesn't use their best between WC's in one game. All experimental.
You will be proven wrong on Saturday and then you will wonder how you could have been so wrong. This Bok team means serious business. They came to conquer and not just by a close score. They want to demolish and they will. This England team at most is a 60 min team. Against the Boks that just won't cut it
Go to commentsThe main difference is that it was waaaaaay easier back then while the quality at the top end on the world rankings is much closer. One mustn't forget how Bryce Lawrence tactically decided to completely ignore refereeing the breakdown which opened the door for an Aussie win against SA at NZ home World Cup.. farcical. The other difference is that NZ won one (well - two) on home soil whilst the Boks won both away from home on the bounce having to play the top 4 sides to get there.. toughest route to glory.
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