Tavatavanawai's selection ‘still unreal'

Otago Daily Times

a day ago

Assistant coach Jason Ryan congratulates Timoci Tavatavanawai at the All Blacks squad announcement at the Coastal Rugby Club in Taranaki last week. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES
Timoci Tavatavanawai was born and raised in Fiji, earned his Super Rugby stripes on the North Shore, and calls Nelson home.
But he would dearly love to mark the greatest moment of his career in his adopted Dunedin.
Tavatavanawai will arrive in the South with the All Blacks tonight to prepare for the first test against France at Forsyth Barr Stadium on Saturday.
The Highlanders co-captain was still digesting the seismic news of his selection in Scott Robertson's squad when he spoke to the Otago Daily Times.
"Oh, yeah, it's still an unreal feeling, to be honest," Tavatavanawai said.
"I don't know. I'm still pinching myself.
"I think it won't be real until I actually play a game in that jersey."
There have been plenty of recent examples of players with Fijian heritage shining in a black jersey.
Tavatavanawai grew up on stories of the late Joeli Vidiri, and remembers watching flying wingers Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu starring for the All Blacks.
Significantly, he also gets to take his first steps in the national squad with incumbent winger Sevu Reece and injury cover Emoni Narawa.
"To be in the All Blacks with my mates Sevu and Emoni is amazing because I went to school with both those guys.
"It means a lot because it shows that if you believe in yourself, you can achieve anything."
"Jim" was 19 when he moved from Fiji to New Zealand.
He has worked hard on himself and his leadership skills, become an integral member of the Tasman Mako and, after starting with Moana Pasifika, flourished as a Super Rugby mainstay with the Highlanders.
People had believed in him all the way, and he was determined to repay them.
"For me, I'm chasing something that is more than just a game."
Tavatavanawai did not get a chance to see his mother for five years after leaving the islands, and he was stuck in his adopted land when his dad died in 2021 during the pandemic.
His proud mother, Melania Raqina, told PMN News last week that she wished her late husband could have seen their son named in the All Blacks.
'When I received the call that Jim's name was announced, I felt so emotional thinking about my late husband and how this news should have been shared with him,' she said.
'Although I am Jim's greatest supporter, my husband made sure that everything Jim needed for rugby was available."
Tavatavanawai is the third of nine children, and the whole clan have been making the new All Black feel proud.
"It's unreal. I'm just getting messages from them all the time," he said.
"It's a big moment for myself and for my family and for my village.
"I just need to keep believing and keep fighting and keep growing my game."
Tavatavanawai was raised in his father's village of Naikawaga, Namara, in the Tailevu province.
While his love for Fiji runs deep, he is also a devout Highlanders man.
Moving south last year helped take his career to another level, and that continued when he was named co-captain this year, while a shift from wing to second five delivered dramatic results.
"It's just helped me grow and grow as a person and as a leader.
"My game in general has grown too, and getting a whole season in the midfield was huge for me," he said.
"It probably just felt new to a lot of people because I hadn't played second five much at a professional level.
"But for me, I've played lots of rugby in the midfield back home, and for my club in Tasman. It's something I've wanted to do in the professional area."
Tavatavanawai is unsure whether the All Blacks see him more as a second five or a winger.
"There are plenty of quality players in the squad. Guys who have been there for a wee while.
"I just need to keep training hard and do what I do best to give myself a chance. I think I just need to be myself. That's probably the main thing."
While Tavatavanawai is excited at the prospect of making his test debut in Dunedin, he becomes even more animated when asked about seeing Highlanders team-mate Fabian Holland potentially doing the same thing.
"Mate, I've seen him perform week in, week out and how he goes about his whole week.
"To be named in the All Blacks beside Fabian is unreal. I know he's going to go really well.
"He's got the hunger in him and he loves to compete. I've got complete faith in him."
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