Rocking for the Sevens

twenty-three year old Auckland-resident Rocky Khan isn’t just any ordinary rugby player. He is the first Fijian of Indian ancestry and also the first Rotuman (an island of Fijian dependency) to represent New Zealand in the Wellington Sevens. It’s a big deal! Players of Asian background or descent in any form, are a rarity in top rugby ranks. And the Sevens, with its spot firmly entrenched in New Zealand’s sporting calendar, not to mention cultural scene, may not be the All Blacks proper, but it’s pretty damn close. The event attracts over 30,000 spectators annually. A fast and furious version of rugby, Sevens matches are shorter than their rugby union counterparts, with each game running for two seven-minute halves (the final is played over two 10-minute halves), instead of the usual 40. There are also seven players instead of 15. 16 international teams compete for points that go towards the world series.

The event has become known as much for the sport, as for the creativity and celebration that surrounds it. Today the Sevens is about celebrating the diversity of New Zealanders, in all their shapes, sizes, costumes and backgrounds. And with New Zealand’s massive ethnically diverse population – the fastest growing of which is Asian – it is appropriate (if not long overdue) for some of this cultural diversity to come through on the field.

When questioned about his unique position and all the historic ‘firsts’ he is making, the young player comes across as pretty modest.

“I am young and have a long way to go in the game,” Rocky says. “Obviously, I would love to play for New Zealand as I grew up an All Blacks fan but yeah, I’d still consider the offer to represent Fiji if it came my way”.

Rocky might downplay the significance of his role in having made the big leagues – but the rest of his homeland certainly isn’t. With headlines like ‘Let us rock you’ and ‘Living the Dream’, it is evident that he’s making waves across the board. Rocky’s success could help other kids realise their dreams too. To say New Zealanders are fanatical about their rugby would be an understatement; kids grow up living and breathing it, and dreaming of being an All Black. Rocky Khan has just shown New Zealand’s migrant population that anything’s possible: “Just keep working hard, and doing something everyday that will help you achieve your goals and don’t stop doing it until you’ve reached that goal,” is his advice.

Mallika Goel