The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team will not be traveling to Spain for next week’s Seville 7s after several other players, both in the men’s and the Fijiana teams, tested positive during their exit test after their 7-day isolation, Fiji Rugby Union CEO John O’Connor confirms.
The Seville 7s which is also round four of the HSBC’s World Rugby Sevens Series 2022 is scheduled for 28-30 January.
This is the second consecutive tournament on the 2022 World Rugby 7s circuit that Fiji will miss out on after withdrawing from this weekend’s Malaga 7s for the same reason.
O’Connor said “Our day four tests’ results had only a player from the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s Team test positive as such we were very confident of sending the Team for the Seville 7s provided all the other players continue to test negative in the exits tests yesterday. Unfortunately, tests results received yesterday had other players and management in both camps test positive making it impossible to travel to Spain with a full Team. We did not expect such results, but such is the nature and the ease of spread of the current variant of COVID 19.”
Meanwhile, players and management who initially tested positive resulting in the side’s withdrawal from the Malaga 7s returned negative results whilst players and management staff who recently tested positive are well and remain asymptomatic.
O’Connor said the focus now is the Vancouver 7s in April, and prior to that, the Fun Flavour Super Sevens Series rescheduled for Feb 3-5 during which all players will, once cleared, feature for their respective clubs.
The HSBC Canada Sevens, which was originally scheduled for 26-27 February, will now take place on 16-17 April, 2022. Meanwhile the HSBC LA Sevens moves from 5-6 March to 27-28 August, 2022 and will stage the grand finale of the men’s Series.
The events have been rescheduled due to the continuing and dynamic effects of the global COVID-19 pandemic and associated logistical challenges, and to maximise the impact and enjoyment of the events for players, fans, staff and wider society.
Photo: Mai TV/File
