We refer and reopen the history books to ver­ify facts when something extraordinary happens.

This is simply because we find it hard to draw any parallel when a rare lifetime success is achieved.

Such can be said for Navimagimagi, Kadavu, native and All Blacks new find Sevu Reece.

He has defied the odds, absorbed the pressure, con­quered the obstacles and achieved the impossible.

What he has achieved in less than a year will go down in the record books. And it should be a chal­lenge for Fijian rugby players to surpass or better.

His father William jokingly said Sevu could retire after the Rugby World Cup because he had achieved so much in such a short span of time.

Despite playing in Waikato for three years he could not make the Chiefs in Super Rugby franchise and sought to play elsewhere.

But what a difference a year has made in the life for the 22-year-old.

Reece was discharged without conviction for as­saulting his girlfriend in October 2018, and lost out playing for Connacht Rugby in Ireland.

It was then that Reece was handed a second chance after being invited to join the Crusaders’ wider training squad this year.

He nailed down the Crusaders’ right wing jersey, scoring a tournament-high 15 tries as the Crusaders celebrated a third consecutive title and his redemp­tion was complete when All Blacks head Steve Hans­en named him in the Rugby Championship squad and handed him a debut against Argentina.

His explosive pace was there for the world to see in the 36-0 whitewashing of the Wallabies at Eden Park, but to top it all he was named on Wednesday in the All Blacks Rugby World Cup squad.

William said: “Being rejected has been a driver behind his success. He never gives up, works hard, committed and determined. I believe no one has achieved what he has achieved in such a short span of time.”

Reece has set the pace. The RWC is the global stage for the big­gest show so watch out for the former Queen Victoria School student.

Our Fiji Airways Flying Fiji­ans completed their build-up match beating Tonga 29-19 at Eden Park yes­terday and we look for­ward to their first game against the Wallabies on September 21.

Likewise, we should be proud for Fijians playing for other countries like Jo Cokanasiga (Eng­land), Alivereti Raka (France), Samu Ker­evi, Tevita Kurid­rani, Isi Naisarani, Marika Koroibete (Australia).

But all Fijians should also be proud of Reece for not giving up and achiev­ing so much in a short time.