‘Almost There’
The Osea Kolinisaucoached Team Fiji men’s rugby sevens will need to lift their game to standards that they are known for at the Paris Olympic Games.
This was the view of national sevens programme manager Gareth Baber.
The team had been facing a lot criticism for failing to win one of the 21 tournaments in the HSBC SVNS series.
Speaking to SUNsports, Baber said this is because the team has yet to play to the standards that Fiji is known for across the world.
“Our ambition is to recreate that,” Tokyo 2020 Olympics gold medal winning coach said.
“We know everybody around the world knows that Fiji is quite capable of winning any tournament that they play in. They just haven’t found that performance level.”
UNDERDOG TAG
Baber said already some teams have written off our chances of winning the gold medal again at the Olympics.
“Then great, that’s good, feel for us to do what we need to do.” Baber knows that having players like Iosefo Masi, Sevuloni Mocenacagi, Waisea Nacuqu, and Jerry Tuwai would bolster the team’s chances.
“You know, we’re looking for that magic recipe of combining talents. With quality of leadership with good people who are ready to go and fight for their country,” he said.
“Obviously, from Osea’s (Kolinisau) perspective, and the coaching perspective and what we’re trying to do, that’s the plan that we’ve looked for.
“It’s not just about talent; it’s about being able to understand what the pressures are around the Olympic tournament. The conditioning level of the players and ultimately what we can combine to produce that performance six times in four days.” He said having strength and conditioning coach Nacanieli
Cawanibuka working with them also provided that x-factor too. “Everybody is very much aware of the qualities he brings to sevens. You want it to be as impactful as you possibly can and everybody’s aware of the qualities. Master Naca has come and done a few sessions with us. It’s been a different voice, a different input stimulus to the players. It brings us back the legacy of what sevens have been here in Fiji for the last few decades.”
TEAM OF LEADERS
Baber added that their ambition as a team is to increase and develop that legacy further.
“We haven’t picked a captain at this stage. I mean, people will probably look at Jerry and he has strong leadership in the group.
“The big reason why he’s included is because he’s able to motivate himself and others as well, you would look for three or four captains in a team,” he said. The team will be in France for two and a half weeks before moving to the Games Village. The Olympic Games is from July 26 to August 11.
Baber confirmed there is no scrimmaging session arranged at this point.
“I mean, it’s really about us focusing on ourselves, you take 15 players because, in sevens, you will have injuries in there as well.”