FIJI rugby sevens legend Waisale Serevi has always been about ‘tell-all’.
Serevi’s vivacious nature is what makes for a good conversation.
And while he has not paused during an interview ever, he took an exception on Saturday.
While being live on the Waka family ‘On The Mat’ podcast, with host Jonathan Batisarisari, the wizard respected the sound of ‘Adaan’ the Muslim calling for prayer.
However, the audience in the hundreds, was left in awe, but Jonathan’s clarity on the break drew a great deal of praise.
“For those wondering, the Mosque is directly behind the location we were recording.
“Out of respect for our Islamic brothers, we paused for the duration of their prayer not because we are Muslim but because being insensitive, judgmental, and disrespectful is not the way we point people towards Jesus.”
Jonathan and his wife Stephanie and their two children moved to Fiji in 2020, to start up a business.
Jonathan’s weekly On the Mat podcast on various topics of interest is followed by the thousands around the globe.
Serevi in-depth
In a no-holds-barred interview, a charged-up Serevi opened up about his desire to play rugby sevens and the fact that he was not a huge fan of school.
“I was not good at schooling, my brothers and sisters were, I just decided to play rugby and get into the workforce.”
Serevi said he was working at the dry dock at Vatuwaqa, scraping the hull, when his supervisor and then Fiji men’s sevens coach Ilaitia Tuisese told him he was selected for a tour to New Zealand.
“I was in the sevens squad when Ilaitia Tuisese told me I was picked for a tour.
“It was in 1988.”
“Hard work, dedication and commitment are what lay the foundation for my career.”
The former Qarani, Gau native said his best memory was taking the first flight out of Fiji overseas, adding it is when he made up his mind that it was the beginning of many more flights to come.
“I loved the first flight. It was something, and I’m flying nonstop to this day,” he laughed.
Serevi retired from the sport after enjoying a long 21-year playing career in sevens and fifteen-a- side at both club and national team level.
He was in Vanua Levu under Serevi Academy to conduct rugby clinic on the behest of Hamzah Hussein, one of the directors of A Hussein Group of Companies.
Serevi’s message to the young and old was to do away with drugs, set goals and chase dreams.
“Bring the best out in you, work towards them.”
