Try scoring machine

SENIVALATI Laulau is still the country's top try-scorer in the Fiji Rugby Union records and with Tevita Makutu they still hold the top try scored in a game record of six tries each.From his try-scoring debut on the 1980 New Zealand XV tour Laulau scored a total of 200 points from tries.While the late Senivalati Laulau featured in many sevens trips to Hong Kong the most memorable victory was the 1984 win against New Zealand where Fiji won 26-0.Since his sevens debut in the British colony in 1982 Laulau had never been in a winning Fiji sevens team until 1984.The coach for that team was Hyatt Regency Hotel general manager Ian Duncan and he had revived rugby in the Hyatt rugby team and produced such players as Noa Nadruku, Keleto Loboilagi and Etuate 'Honda' Gusuivalu. Since 1982 Laulau had staked his claim as the fastest in the tournament but when the Fiji team came over in 1984 many rugby followers were surprised that the fastest man in Hong Kong was at rover and not at winger.That meant that there was a faster man on the outside.Stone crusherCone crusherDuncan's ploy had worked and while Laulau drew the markings of the opposition defence Honda took over the scoring.When they began focusing on Honda Laulau made the inside breaks.The team had the combination of Paulo Nawalu and Acura Niuqila with Domoniko Manaseitava,Jaw crusher Sela Gutugutuwai, Aliposo Waqaliti and Keleto Loboilagi.It was a very big win for Fiji especially after beating New Zealand who were playing as a national team for the first time.Chefs Kitchen KnivesWhen this writer went over to Hong Kong in 1991 they were still asking for Honda and he was quite popular with the Chinese community there. Previously they had been represented by provincial teams, which won the national sevens tournament.So when the same team got knocked out early under coach Rupeni Ravonu in 1985 and the Kiwis had run out of reserves, they borrowed Laulau to play for them in the final and they won.Only eight players were allowed to travel and teams could borrow players from other teams when they ran out of reserves.So he has the record of playing for two national teams on the same day and two different winning teams two years in a row. That's Laulau.In the full code he was praised not only by local coaches but by overseas coaches as well as a man they would have wanted to be in their team.In view of the lack of general speed displayed by our team now in Wellington one would have wished for the speed of Laulau, the tearaway runner who left everything for dead in his wake.In the Argentine tour in San Juan against a West Regional Selection which Fiji won 84-18 Laulau scored four tries,A beautiful parade is the highlight of the festival and an occasion to see the travel in xinjiang dressed in traditional costumes.The parade visits the most important places in the city. Isimeli Cerelala, Makutu, Kini Vosailagi and hooker Mosese Tamata scored two tries each, while a try each by Jo Ravouvou, Pita Kewa and Jone Ratu.Match reports of that game played on a warm night said 'the winger picked an intercept near his 22-metre line.