Fiji 7s skipper Jerry Tuwai insists that the new squad members have proven themselves worthy for a spot and believes they will rise to the occasion when the PacificAus Oceania Sevens starts Friday in Australia.
Head Coach Gareth Baber had roped into the Fiji Airways sponsored side seven new players who have never been to any tournament on the World Sevens Series circuit.
“These young players are really good when it comes to on and off-field behaviour or training. They have been working really hard and I know they will surely shine during the three-day competition next week in Townsville,” Tuwai said.
The Oceania 7s, he said, will also be an opportune time to gauge their form and confidence in a competition setting, an aspect he is depending on the experienced members of the squad for support.
“ All the boys have been training really well for past few months and we are excited for the Oceania 7s and it will be a good ground for us to try and put together a team that will contest and play in Tokyo,” said Tuwai.
“It is really important for all of us, as the experienced players who have been playing in the series have been out for about a year now and I think playing against teams like New Zealand and Australia will be a good test and an opportunity for us to put together a team that can defend the gold medal in Olympic Games.”
The Fiji 7s men’s team will take on hosts in the opening match at 4 pm on Friday. The tournament is part of the side’s preparation for the sevens events at the Tokyo Olympics, with the men’s competition running from 26-28 July and the women’s tournament 29-31 July.
All matches will be played at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium from June 25-27, with the afternoon session on Friday and Saturday starting at 2pm, followed by the evening session at 7.30pm. The Sunday sessions will start earlier at 12.30pm and 5.45pm respectively.
Photo: Oceania 7s
