Fiji Parties For AB History
01/09/2006
NZPA
Three years ago Joe Rokocoko and his cousin Sitiveni Sivivatu were sat down by Rokocoko's father on the family couch in Auckland for a serious chat.
He challenged both, newly selected Super 12 rugby players at the time, to aim high and try to make the same All Blacks test team.
The problem was, they'd both burst to prominence wearing the same numbered jersey.
The closest they got, up until now, was the test against England at Twickenham last November when Rokocoko trotted past Sivivatu as his replacement late in the match.
Now, after Rokocoko's form struggles last year and Sivivatu's knee surgery and nine-month hiatus from the test team, All Blacks coach Graham Henry has seized his chance and shifted Rokocoko to the right wing, and Doug Howlett to fullback.
Early on Sunday (1am NZ time) at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium at Rustenberg, 40km from the team's base at Sun City in the North West province, the pair will become the first Fijian-born wing pairing in All Blacks history.
"It'll be huge back home. I'm sure every Fijian rugby supporter will be glued to the TV and watching the game," Rokocoko said.
Rokocoko, 23, emigrated to New Zealand with his family when he was four. Sivivatu, a year older, was lured on a scholarship in his teenage years to Jonah Lomu's old school, Wesley College, and became a star.
First things first, and Rokocoko clarifies the Fijian definition of the term "cousin".
The pair aren't blood relatives, like Rokocoko and former All Blacks wing Joeli Vidiri, but have a connection on both their mother's sides.
"It's more the word of mouth, everyone knows this certain uncle who's related to someone. It's more the link than blood. It's a connection."
With the pair in the same test team, it's meant Rokocoko's had to do the adjusting this week to playing on the right.
He's no stranger to the No 14 jersey, having worn it to score a hat-trick for New Zealand Schools against their England counterparts, and doing the same for the Junior All Blacks against Queensland last year.
It's felt "awkward" this week on the right, but that news is hardly enough to break out the bubbly in the Springboks' camp.
The hard ground, warm sun and high veldt have proved a magic combination for Rokocoko in the past, evidenced by his two-try haul in the record 52-16 All Blacks win in Pretoria in 2003.
"The boys were saying they feel real quick on dry ground. Coming here, dry tracks, similar to Australian fields, you have licence to have a go.
"Sometimes you just feel lighter than you do back home, so it's always a good sign for the guys we have in the backline at the moment."View larger image
Cousins Joe Rokocoko & Sitiveni Sivivatu will start their first test together
©Getty Images / Ross Land
Watching Rokocoko burn up the already parched turf at training at their Sun City base this week offered all the evidence needed to suggest he was loving his work.
He also reckons he's got even faster in the past year, thanks to some advice from former American sprinting star Maurice Greene and the inspiration of the best winger he's ever seen -- countryman Rupeni Caucaunibuca -- whose injury saw him move to the left wing in 2003.
Greene spoke to the All Blacks on the 2004 tour in London and Rokocoko took on board his advice of building up his legs in the gym.
"I wanted to get more strength in the legs because I saw how powerful Rupes was, one step and he was gone.
"He's the guy I've tried to focus all my skills upon. Obviously he's gifted and talented and has all the skills, it's just his instincts, it's natural for him.
"Out of all the wingers I've seen he's No 1 talent-wise. I just love watching him play and being on the same team. He told me before my first game for the Blues, when you grab the ball you just fly, think about flying."
Sadly, Caucaunibuca is, in Rokocoko's words, in "cruisy mode" now.
"He's from the village of relaxation ... Rupes is Rupes, you can't change him."
But Rokocoko isn't cruising. He's returned to near the form that saw him score 17 tries in his first 12 tests in 2003, and currently sits on 31 tries from 35 tests. Sivivatu, after his try in Pretoria, has nine for seven.
But they insist they aren't competitive. Sivivatu last week labelled Rokocoko the faster sprinter but Rokocoko laughed that off, saying they'd never raced each other properly.
"I'll say Siti's faster. We couldn't be serious with each other, we'd mostly be laughing with each other."