KEY POINTS:
It's A good job for North Harbour that Viliame Waqaseduadua is a fast learner.
If he wasn't, it's doubtful Harbour would be entering the business end of their first campaign to retain the Ranfurly Shield tomorrow, against Taranaki.
It's hard to overstate the Fijian flier's contribution to Harbour's 21-17 dethroning of Canterbury last year.
His first try, a classic '14-pointer' where his interception on his own 22 turned a certain Canterbury try into an opening score for Harbour, gave the challengers belief.
His second, finishing off a sweeping move with 13 minutes to go, gave Harbour the lead for the second and final time as they held fast to win a game their massive deficit in possession and territory suggested they had no right to.
It was a display of classic opportunism from a natural winger. At least it would have been if Waqaseduadua hadn't spent the majority of his rugby career playing first five-eighth.
It wasn't until he came to New Zealand as a 19-year-old to play alongside the Waikato trio of Liam Messam, William Ripia and Steven Setephano at Rotorua Boys High that Waqaseduadua played his first game on the wing.
"The principal asked me: 'What position do you play in Fiji?' I said: 'First-five.' He told me: 'You never put a Fijian at first-five. You go over there and play winger."'
It's a transition he insists he's still coming to terms with. Every day is a learning experience. The 24-year-old feels lucky just to be given the chance.
It's a bit of an exercise in racial stereotyping to say there's a speedy winger standing on every street corner in Suva, but Waqaseduadua gives the impression it just might be true.
"There is so much talent in Fiji. I am fortunate enough to be chosen, to be in the spotlight, but, I tell you what, I grew up with heaps of good talents. So for me to be here is a privilege and I won't take it for granted."
He's also fortunate that his permanent residency came through last month, meaning he won't be affected by any Government sanctions barring expats from his coup-ravaged homeland from working in New Zealand.
Having represented the New Zealand sevens team and the Junior All Blacks, Waqaseduadua has well and truly thrown his lot in with his adopted country.
A draft player with the Highlanders in this year's Super 14, the teetotal Christian is contracted to Harbour until the end of next season and has no plans to head overseas to cash in on the global thirst for flying Fijians.
"I am proud to be a Fijian even though things at home are not working out as most Fijians would want. I thank God that I am a Fijian and have talents to use for God's glory.
"At the moment my focus is on domestic rugby in New Zealand. I made up my mind before playing for New Zealand sevens - choosing between New Zealand and Fiji - that I am going to concentrate on playing here for a while and further my career here."
Those two tries against Canterbury certainly didn't do his career any harm.
"I was just the fortunate one to be running the ball across the white line, the boys did all the hard yards," he says of the scores, demonstrating a talent for personal modesty that matches his one for opportunistic wing play.
"I remember the first try," he says when pressed. "I looked outside me and there was no one there, just a bunch of Canterbury boys. So I decided to give it a go, to come in and try to snatch the ball off them with an intercept on the 22. It turned out okay. But I came out of the defensive pattern so, if I didn't catch the ball it would have been a try to them. It was one of those."
His second try was just a matter of finishing off a good team move, he insists.
He had no idea how significant those efforts were until he got into the Jade Stadium changing rooms at the end of the match.
"Coming from Fiji I didn't realise how important the shield was. But it was really buzzing in the changing room, everyone smiling and hugging each other. It just [went] on and on.
"Being part of that team was really a blessing."
As for defending the shield, Waqaseduadua says it's all about attitude.
"The whole team knows how we went down to Canterbury, the attitude [we took]. Every team that comes up to challenge will have that same attitude. It comes down to whoever wants it the most.
"In training it is pretty relaxed but you can tell the excitement is there. Especially in the young ones, you can see the excitement in their faces, they can't wait to go out there and defend the Ranfurly Shield."
Sounds like he's learning all right.
