Fiji could not have asked for a better start from the Vodafone Fijian 7s team.
The Ben Ryan-coached side, the defending champions of the World Sevens Series, are well known for their prowess on the field.
But their act of human kindness even before the first tackle is made at the Dubai Sevens on Friday is making headlines around the world.
Our Fijians lived up to the hype as good role models, ambassadors of the game and Fiji last Thursday onboard Virgin Australia on their way to Brisbane when there was a mid-flight emergency.
A passenger was suffering from a serious health scare for the majority of the trip.
Pilots informed passengers of the situation as Virgin staff rushed to tend to the woman.
Almost immediately, the Fijian physiotherapist William Kwoong and coach Ben Ryan went to the distressed woman to offer their assistance.
While the woman’s condition was monitored, the Fijian players assisted the air hostesses in serving food to the passengers, even collecting the trays and rubbish after everyone on the plane had eaten.
One player even assisted with the treatment of the elderly woman, holding her oxygen mask over her face for over an hour.
Compassion and willingness to help others are a mark of humility.
They demonstrate the qualities of these great sevens exponents. While we always judge them, sometimes harshly on the rugby field, we forget their human side. It is what makes them great and excellent role models. Their response was instinctive, similar to the way they play their rugby. While their act of generosity has got many people talking, it comes naturally to them. On the rugby field they look out for each other. Outside they replicate the same thing in looking out for others.
That’s why they were happy to help the flight attendants.
This is also why rugby is referred to as the gentlemen’s game played in heaven and on earth because players care for each other on and off the field.
Mr Ryan and the players need to be commended for their wonderful effort.
Little Room for Error
Our team need to kick off the 2015 -16 World Sevens Series with a bang. This is the most important 7s season ever because of the Olympic Games.
Teams would want to position themselves for the Rio, meaning there will be little room for error. There are only three medals to fight for at the Rio Games for the top three teams. Getting it right in Dubai and setting the pace and keeping the momentum in Cape Town, Wellington, Sydney, Las Vegas, Vancouver, Hong Kong and Singapore will put us in good stead for Rio in August.
Olympic legend
The four-time gold medallist and Olympics legend Michael Johnson will be a special guest of HSBC at the opening tournament in Dubai.
Mr Johnson will meet with both men’s and women’s teams to pass on his experience and advice ahead of the landmark season. With rugby continuing to grow as a global force following a hugely successful World Cup in London, the series, is being billed by long term rugby supporter HSBC as a golden opportunity for the development of the sport.
“From all my years in athletics, I know just what it means to compete for your country at the highest level, particularly in an Olympic Games. The start of this season is a huge moment for them and it’s a huge moment for the sport,” Mr Johnson said.
This means the challenge is for our Vodafone Flying Fijians to start the World Series well by winning in Dubai.