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From Bruce Tizard-Varcoe in England (20 November 2009)

Graham Dewes: Fiji rugby tour of Scotland, Ireland and Romania

Scotland

Graham Dewes has been in the UK and Ireland for almost two weeks now. In the match against Scotland last weekend, he came on as a substitute in the second half and despite the best efforts of the Fiji team, which had key players missing and only a few days preparation, Scotland came away with the win, 23 points to 10.

Graham in team jersey
Scotland training huddle - Graham is second from the right

Ireland - Rotuma connections: Jono Gibbes and Seán Óg Ó hAilpín
This week in Ireland, Graham and the team have been practising with the Leinster rugby club, whose forward coach is ex-New Zealand All-Black Jono Gibbes (Rotuman Grandmother).

During a break in training, Graham met Irish hurling star Seán Óg Ó hAilpín (Rotuman mother).

Jono Gibbes, captain on the New Zealand Maori rugby tour of Fiji, 2005
Rotuman link - Sean and Graham

Photo sources: FijiRugby.com and rotuma.net

For more on what happened when they met, including an amusing moment when Sean spoke in
Rotuman to Graham, click on the two links below:

http://www.fijirugby.com/pages.cfm/fru-news?newsid=europe-diary-day-13--practice-with-leinster
http://www.fijirugby.com/pages.cfm/fru-news?newsid=europe-diary-day-14--sean-hurler