The island of Kadavu, Fiji has been gripped by anticipation ahead of the Pacific nation’s next match in the Rugby World Cup. Preparations have taken place to make sure people won’t have to crowd into one hall to watch the game. Fijians are passionate rugby supporters but in Kadavu, the next game is particularly special.
“It is even more exciting that Simione is from the same district as ours,” says the 64-year-old Kadavu resident Iliesa Bula.
Simione Kuruvoli became a national hero after a historic win against Australia in Fiji’s previous match in the tournament. The scrum-half was instrumental in the victory, kicking a conversion and several penalties. It was a first for Kuruvoli to take on kicking duties in a top-level match, after Caleb Muntz was ruled out due to injuries.
“Kuruvoli showed his class,” Fiji’s deputy prime minister, Manoa Kamikamica, said after the match. “His distributions were fast and clean, and Fiji just found Caleb’s kicking replacement.”
“He is Fiji’s Jonny Wilkinson,” rugby fan Viliame Tawanikoro, from Ba, says.
‘Screams were deafening’
In Kadavu and in the province of Tailevu, where Kuruvoli has family ties, the response to the World Cup has been especially strong. People in both villages bubbled with pride after his performance against the Wallabies and are anxiously awaiting Sunday’s game against Georgia.
Bula, a retired police officer from Kadavu, says rugby is a “serious affair” on the island and everyone gathered at houses in the village to watch the game against Australia.
“It was full both inside and outside to watch the rugby match, and the screams were deafening,” Bula says.
“Most of the houses in the village now have walesi (a satellite TV box) set up for the next game,” Bula says. “In fact, at one house the TV was broken, and just this week the boat delivered a brand new TV set in time to prepare for the next match,” Bula says.
In the village of Vuci, Tokatoka in Tailevu, 69-year-old Lasaro Laqere says that “everyone, including the chief in the village, was very proud of him, and we all celebrated with grog (kava) after the game”.
Determined to succeed
Despite Kuruvoli’s quick rise to fame, the 24-year-old half-back’s story was full of struggle, passion and perseverance.
His mother, Alumita Kuruvoli, calls her son “little David” – a reference to the Bible story of David and Goliath – as she emotionally recalls all the challenges he had to endure before his big break.
“He has been trying for so long to be part of the Fiji team, but he was not selected due to his height and build,” she says.
“I always encouraged him to never lose hope, keep on trying, and have faith because he was given the God-given talent for a reason,” she says.
Alumita adds that one of his admirable qualities is his “quiet and respectful” nature.
“He has never once talked back to me or my parents, and he always helps us out when we need him, always with a big smile on his face.”
The rugby star comes from a long line of athletes: Kuruvoli’s grandfather represented Fiji at the Olympic Games in judo, and his mother competed in the same sport at the South Pacific Games. Both his uncles played for the Fiji Bati (the Fiji rugby league team) and the Fiji Warriors (rugby union team).
“Growing up, Simi used to see pictures of our sporting achievements, medals and trophies at home; this fuelled his ambition to one day follow suit and make a name for himself,” his uncle Filipe Kuruvoli, who played for the Fiji Warriors, says.
Despite his love for the sport, the Fijian national only started playing rugby in his last year of primary school for Nasinu. Prior to that, he played soccer and also shared the family talent of judo; he was the junior national champion.
At 15, he was selected to play Australian rules football in Australia for the Oceania team, and it is believed that this set the foundation for his future rugby career. Two years later, he switched to rugby league and played fullback for the Nabua Broncos premier team.
Filipe describes his nephew as a “quiet achiever” and says he has been in constant contact with him during the tournament in France.
“He works hard at training, pushes himself harder than anybody else, and considers himself a very private person.”
Filipe shared their phone conversation before the Australia match: “He told me how nervous he was and asked for prayers.
“He prays a lot and was really looking forward to this week’s game as it was his first start at the Rugby World Cup, which was a childhood dream of his.”
