DUBAI // Waisale Serevi will not be able to make good on his promise to play at this year's Dubai Rugby Sevens.
The Fijian great, who is widely regarded as the leading figure in the history of the abridged version, stepped out of retirement to play in the International Vets event last year.
He was the playmaker in a team of former Test stars that included Carlos Spencer, the former All Black, and Stephen Larkham, a World Cup winner with Australia.
The charity side, known as J9 Legends, was set up to support Joost van der Westhuizen’s foundation for motor neurone disease research and reached the final last year.
Even though Serevi put them ahead with a conversion after the final buzzer, J9 were beaten by the defending champions, Xodus Steelers, in injury time.
The former Fiji captain and coach has enjoyed one of the most luminous careers in rugby’s short form, yet has not won a trophy title in Dubai.
After losing to the Steelers, he immediately expressed his intention to try again in 2014, but he is unable to travel.
“They asked me to play again, but I told them I cannot make it due to a personal, family commitments,” says Serevi, who has been conducting a series of coaching clinics at Al Ain and Dubai this week.
“I sent a message to them, saying I could not be here. Even though I would love to be with J9, but I won’t be able to make it. I wish them well. Especially kicking the last goal, when we were down. It went over, the hooter went, and I thought the game was over. Then the referee said we had to do the restart and the other team scored in the last minute. But I really enjoyed it.”
J9 will not find it easy to better the performance from their debut tournament last year, when they kick off against Bishops Stortford on December 4.
Of the 17 competitions at the Sevens event, the International Vets tournament has the biggest number of recognisable faces. Andy Farrell, the former dual-code international and current England assistant coach, will be back as part of the Joining Jack side of former rugby league players.
Christina Noble, who were perennial Vets winners before the Steelers usurped them, have recruited some former stars of rugby’s short format, such as Orene Ai’i, the world sevens player of the year in 2005.
Serevi insists J9 can win the title in his absence, but says spreading the word about the charity work of Van der Westhuizen, the wheelchair-bound former South Africa scrum-half, is more important.
“I thank Joost and salute him as a legend for what he has done in rugby,” Serevi says. “He is a great rugby player and a great motivator.
“He is still playing rugby – not on a rugby field – but off it, by showing he is really a strong man and is still up to it.
“I believe the boys that are there this year will win it for them.
“I will be following them and supporting them all the way through.”
pradley@thenational.ae
Follow us on twitter at @SprtNationalUAE
