A member of the 1997 Fiji team that walked away with the prestigious Melrose Cup has passed away.

Inoke Maraiwai who was part of the team that won Fiji’s first World Cup passed away on Tuesday night in Navua after a short illness.

Maraiwai was a Suva winger who also excelled in high school rugby and athletics at Queen Victoria School.

He was later named to feature alongside an experienced pack which had 7s maestro and captain Waisale Serevi, the late Aminiasi Naituyaga, Marika Vunibaka and Manasa Bari  who won the World Cup which saw a national holiday and national celebrations and as a souvenir he was the first from his village in Lau who featured on a Fiji postal stamp.

Funeral arrangements are underway.


Story by: Tokasa Rainima