Sunia Koto Vuli has had a long hard career serving Fiji, not in one or even two World Cup campaigns, but believe it or not he has been a humble servant throughout three Rugby World Cup Campaigns.

Born in April 1980 in Suva, he had rugby in his veins and filled out to 178 metres tall and approximate 115kgs in weight – the perfect height and weight for his favoured position as number 2, also known as hooker.

He played his first international match for his beloved Fiji on June 3, 2005 against the New Zealand Maori and never looked back.

Starting in 2007 in France the host nation for the Rugby World Cup, Mr Vuli was in a star studded team with a ferocious and lethal back line which included such names as  Mosese Rauluni, Nicky Little, Seremaia Bai, Seru Rabeni, Sireli Bobo, Vilimoni Delasau, and Norman Ligairi.

The wonderful space and running rugby was supplied by the hard working and diligent forwards.

During the World Cup, Fiji had a do or die match in the pool stages against Wales and played out of their skin to secure a 38-34 win, which still ranks as one of the most exciting games of recent memory.

If you get a chance have a look at it on Youtube and I am sure it will rekindle and muster emotions only a world class international rugby match can.

Mr Vuli was there in the thick of it playing his heart out as Fiji got a win for the ages. Once they had battled their way out of the pool stages beating Canada, Japan and Wales and only conceding to Australia they moved forward to meet the eventual Rugby World Cup Winners Mighty South Africa.

Once again the boys did themselves proud in front of 55,000 spectators. Fiji were levelled with South Africa half way into the second half at 20-20 and it was only a huge surge in the last 10 minutes of the game that took South Africa into the semifinals.

Again Mr Vuli was there to play his heart out with his team mates and make all Fijians proud of the boys .

In 2011, he arrived in camp to put his body on the line in his next World Cup campaign in New Zealand and this time, despite their best efforts, it was Wales who got there revenge and went passed them in the pool stages alongside South Africa, leaving Fiji to taste bitter defeat.

Come 2015, when most players would have hung up their boots for retirement, Mr Vuli was there again to do battle, this time in England at the Rugby World Cup. It was under the tutor ledge of astute rugby coach John McKee that Fiji came to do battle.

Unfortunately they were placed in the ‘Pool of Death’ alongside England Australia, Wales and Uruguay.

The opening World Cup match pitted England one of the favourites vs Fiji in front of 82,000 fans and millions watching across the globe,

Fiji did themselves proud against the host nation at Twickenham going down fighting.

Only Australia and Wales made it through the pool phases while England, the host nation, and Fiji, after a committed effort, were on their way home.

Our humble servant Sunia Koto Vuli was there through the thick of combat in all three World Cups and has done us proud in battle across the globe, putting Fiji on the map as a top ten team who are certainly a tough proposition for anyone to handle.

Sunia Koto Vuli is certainly a hard working and loyal servant of the game and has done Fiji proud both locally and Internationally. Edited by Jonathan Bryce

The writer is a Fiji Sun  columnist.

Feedback:  ajay@carvingdream.com