Olo Fifita

This year’s national Division I champion club Hayward is still basking in the glory of its triumph in San Diego earlier this month, although it hasn’t always been a DI club. Until 15 years ago it was an average run of the mill kind of club, but in a twist of fate the Griffins merged with the Oakland Barbarians and things began to head in a new direction.

 

In 1997, the Griffins won the Division II title, and the following season made the move up to Division I, finishing fourth in the country. The Griffins finished in the top eight in ’99, and 2000 saw them back in the finals, only to lose to the then perennial top dogs the Gentlemen of Aspen in the grand final.

 

Hayward embarked on a Super League campaign after that under the banner of the Old Blues Griffins and performed reasonably well. They got to the postseason but their campaign came to an end when they were shut out in the quarterfinals by Life College. Hayward’s stint in Super League was to be short-lived and in 2002, the Blues transferred RSL ties to the Olympic Club. Hayward once again got down to business and competed in the last Major League Rugby competition, winning the title in 2002. Following on from MLR, the Griffins promptly returned to the Division I playoffs, making it all the way to the national semifinals.

 

2003 saw the Griffins back in the Round of 16, where they were bundled out by Worcester. Again in 2004 the Griffins were bumped out in the first round, this time by the Chicago Griffins. 2005 was the only year that Hayward didn’t qualify for the national playoffs as solid performances from the Southern California teams dominated the CRI that year. Hayward bounced back in 2006, however, finishing third after narrowly losing to a gallant Las Vegas Blackjacks side in the consolation final.

 

And so it was that following the 2006 season another page was about to be turned in the Hayward book. As a club, they gave full support to coach Olo Fifita for the 2007 season. Off the field, things were put in motion that allowed Fifita to use his players and train them in a very specific way. Hayward prides itself on its forwards. The Hayward pack weighs in at over 2200lbs with props at 380 and 400lbs, both standing over 6’4” and a second row well into the mid 250lbs region and over 6’5”. At 6’2” the loosies weigh in at around 225lbs each. All that beef up front paved the way for the Griffins’ victory in San Diego.

 

Arriving in San Diego, Hayward had just two goals, performance and attitude. Coach Fifita held back some of his best players for the Cincinnati Wolfhounds semifinal, but with a side that was so fired up to finish the job, all players were ready to play the best game of their lives. The Bay Area club went to the front and stayed there, although a gallant Cincinnati side kept them honest. The game almost frittered away from the Griffins, mainly because of a relentless Hound attack that tired the big Hayward forwards, but the Griffins regained control through solid kicking by flyhalf Moepau Faamamafa and good rolling mauls, which slowed the game.

 

The only disappointment for Hayward on the Saturday was the loss by the Olympic Club. The two Northern California teams were keen to go at it one more time as the NorCal season had ended with each side having defeated the other once and finishing equal in the win/loss column, but it wasn’t to be. A committed Austin Blacks got in the way of that and defeated OC in one of the most physical games of the weekend.

 

Bringing in his biggest, heaviest, fastest and most skillful players, coach Fifita also injected himself into the fray in the championship game against Austin. Hayward started a little slowly, and were pinned down by some solid Austin attack, but once that massive Hayward pack got their hands on the ball it was good night Irene for the Texans. The Griffins’ speed and power proved too much, and the Blacks just couldn’t stop 380lbs loosehead prop Paula Fukafuka from crashing over the line to start the beginning of the end for Austin. The final points came from the boot of Petelo Uaisele, who slotted a well-judged dropped goal from 25 meters out and Hayward had finally scaled the one peak that had had its measure for so long.

 

Special mentions to: Olo Fifita, Nikola Tahaafe, Loma Housia, Blaine Worhurst, William Dent, Manu Finau, Jimmy Gurle, Bruce Bernstein, Ben Parker, Kyle Davis, Steve Dorman, Roger Grant, Mose Timoteo, Kena, Ofu, Ed and all the wives, girlfriends and families who stood by them through another long and arduous season.