Rugby is a passion all over the South Pacific and we found that when you ask people about the World Cup, they usually think you mean the Rugby World Cup and start to tell you how well their island team from Samoa, Tonga, or Fiji did in the last one. Rugby seams to be played with a different number of players depending on the leagues. We've heard about 7s, 9s, and 11s, but rugby in Fiji seems to be played with 20 people on each side! The games are pretty informal, but many players have on jerseys of their favorite teams and wear rugby cleats.
Pickup soccer games seem to have commenced whenever there were enough people to form two teams. We saw a number of players wearing shorts and tennis shoes, but an equal number of people still in work coveralls and uniforms from their day's work! Hoop ball, we learned, is typically a girl's sport. It's like basketball but the net doesn't have a backboard and there's no dribbling. Some hoops were located on the edges of grassy fields and some were on the basketball courts.
By the time the sun finally sets completely, Lautoka becomes very quiet. The fields gradually empty, buses stream out of the city filled with people, and all of the shops close down. At this time most Fijians retire to their homes to spend time with family and friends, leaving few people in the city and parks.
SOT
