Fiji Rugby referee Tevita Rokovereni achieves another milestone

Tevita Rokovereni has achieved another milestone in being given the opportunity to officiate in the Shute Shield Sydney, NSW in Australia.

He had previously been only the second Fijian (after James Bolabiu) to be part of the full World Rugby Men’s Sevens Series.

The 33-year-old referee hopes to excel in the 15’s code and by participating in the Shute Shield it will help him prepare for the World Rugby Under-20 Trophy Challenge in Kenya next month.

The Matamaivere, Tailevu native acknowledged Fiji Rugby and Oceania Rugby for assisting him to pursue his dream of officiating in the 15’s competition.

“I would like to thank Fiji Rugby Union who had given me the opportunity locally and assisted me participate in the international calendar. FRU has played a vital role in shaping my rugby career as a referee.  

I also want to acknowledge Oceania Rugby for their kind support and taking care of landing costs and above all giving me this opportunity and platform which is certainly a huge achievement towards my final goal of officiating a top-level 15’s competition” he said.

Rokovereni said his hard work has paid off and is ready to give his best shot in the Shute Shield.

He added “We always dream of these opportunities and to referee the big matches and this is time for me to prove and achieve it. Personally, for me, it’s a huge honour representing not only Fiji but the Pacific.”

Rokovereni joined the Fiji Rugby Referees Association way back in 2008 and after nine years of hard work, he was introduced to the world stage in 2017 where he was part of the four men’s tournament at the World Rugby Sevens Series.

“In 2019, I was moved to the women’s where I officiated in five women’s and three men’s tournaments and then in 2020 I was supposed to go to six men’s competitions but due to COVID-19 I just went to the Hamilton and Sydney 7s,” he said.

He further added the challenge for him will be to have a consistent performance and try and be at the top level for a number of years.

“I think the key word is consistency. It’s one thing trying to get to the top but staying at that level for a long time is a different story altogether.

It comes with challenges and without it, we cannot move ahead so for me it’s all about challenging myself, going into the Shute Shield and World Rugby Trophy it’s about preparing myself for what I can bring to the table and perform to my best level” said Rokovereni.

Meanwhile, Oceania Rugby International Partnership officer Koli Sewabu says that “this funding is made possible by Oceania Rugby through the support of the Australian government (DFAT) and its flagship PacificAus Sports program. The professional development program provides the opportunity for coaches, referees, and game officials from the Pacific to be exposed in high-performance programs in Australia, with the intention to bring those experience and knowledge back to their home unions and help grow and strengthen the game”.