Fuli wary of Langford pool of death

The Fiji Airways Fijiana Sevens team training in Langford on Vancouver Island for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens tournament. Photo: FRU

Fiji Airways Fijiana sevens coach Saiasi Fuli was very wary of the opposition in the pool of death his team is facing against traditional champions New Zealand, the US and England in Pool C this weekend.

“It’s a very tough pool, it’s the pool of death in this Langford tournament,” Fuli said from Langford on Vancouver Island in an FRU media conference.

“We have New Zealand, New Zealand is back, they have been absent for the past four tournaments due to Covid restrictions and the pandemic that affected New Zealand and then they are back,” Fuli said.

“They are the undisputed champions for the past few years and we are pooled with the US who won one of the tournaments in Spain and the entertaining and young English team that played well in both tournaments in Spain.”

The US won gold at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Malaga in Spain and England were bronze medallists at the Seville tournament the week before also in Spain in January.

“Yeah we’re here in Langford, a beautiful city here in Victoria, it’s good that we’re back after the cancellation in the back to back Spain tournaments, it’s quite hard that we had to stay in Fiji but it’s good that we had some rugby,” Fuli said.

“We had six tournaments in Fiji and now we are back in the world 7s arena and ready to play this weekend in the Langford 7s.

“It’s a challenging week for us, we have prepared well doing our homework and doing some research and analysis with our full opposition but it’s good back playing in the international sevens tournament,” Fuli said.

“To have a tough pool it’s very challenging for us.

“It is what it is and we have to focus, prepare well for this Langford tournament.

“I know that there is a lot of talk in regards to our pool but that is rugby.

“To have that competitive nature and quality opposition; it’s good for us it’s good for the tournament and we’re ready and ready to play in that group that has New Zealand, USA and England.”

The three pools format has Australia and Ireland named top seeds of Pool A and Pool B respectively with England as Malaga champions named as the top seed in Pool C.

Pool A has Australia, Canada, Spain and Mexico; while Pool B has Ireland, France, Brazil and Japan.

The Fijiana sevens team plays the USA at 4.30am (FT) on Sunday opening the Langford tournament at Starlight Stadium in Langford outside Victoria, British Columbia.

Fiji set standard high in day one of Vancouver 7s

Fiji players preparing to play USA in the final pool A match. Photo: World Rugby

Day one of round six on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series men’s circuit in Vancouver, Canada, threw up some great rugby on Saturday.

In the end, Fiji, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina won their pools to progress to the Cup quarter-finals at BC Place along with runners-up England, Samoa, Australia and France.

Vancouver welcomes back Sevens Rugby stars

Fiji team skipper Tevita Daugunu (standing fifth from right) pose with the other 15 captains for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series at the Chief Joe Mathias Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia in Canada. Photo: World Rugby

All 16 core teams on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series have arrived in Vancouver this week ahead of the highly anticipated HSBC Canada Sevens on 17-18 April at BC Place stadium.

The team captains visited the Chief Joe Mathias Center in North Vancouver on Wednesday where they were greeted by a Squamish First Nation Elder and met Squamish artist Ray Natraoro who has designed the medals for this year’s tournament.

Gollings says win in Singapore was incredible

New find winger Vuiviawa Naduvalo scores a try for Fiji in Singapore. Photo: World Rugby

Fiji’s victory at the Singapore Sevens last weekend was remarkable on a number of levels.

The Olympic champions were playing in their first World Series tournament since Dubai and were given a rude awakening with a first-ever defeat to Ireland in their opening game.

Gollings names Fiji squad for Singapore

The Fijian Warriors play against the New Zealand 7s team in a mini international tournament in Lautoka. Photo: FRU

Fiji Airways Fijian 7s Head Coach Ben Gollings has named an exciting pack as the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series resumes in Singapore followed by Vancouver 7s.
 
This is the first team selected by Gollings since he was appointed as the Head Coach in December.

Satala, Tuwai named to assist Gollings

Fijian 7s playmaker Jerry Tuwai plays in the Fun Flavour Super Sevens series. Photo: FRU

Fiji Rugby Union chief executive John O’Connor today announced the appointment of former Flying Fijians centre and 2005 Sevens Rugby World Cup winner Viliame Satala as one of the assistant coaches for the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team.

 “This is a totally new approach from head coach Ben Gollings,” O’Connor said.

Fiji 7s teams pull out of Spain 7s

The Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s team won silver medals at the Dubai tournament. Photo: FRU

Fiji Rugby Union chief executive John O’Connor in a Fiji Rugby Union press statement said he was disappointed the Fiji Airways Fijian men’s and women’s 7s teams but put the safety of those involved as priority.

“It’s disappointing not to have the Men’s and Women’s team play in Spain but the safety and welfare of everyone involved is always the priority and we thank the Ministry of Health for their support and guidance in this regard,” O’Connor said.

The Fijian men’s team was planning to travel for the Seville 7s today and arrive in Spain on Saturday.
 
“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,” O’Connor said..

“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.”
 
O’Connor highlighted that the players and management who initially tested positive have now tested negative and that all the players and management staff who have now tested positive are all well and remain asymptomatic.   

He also thanked World Rugby for giving the Fiji Airways 7s Team an opportunity to play a few matches in Malaga this weekend as the team was expected to arrive on Saturday and to fully participate in Servile 7s next weekend but highlighted that this was no longer possible because of the latest tests results.

O’Connor confirmed that once all the players were cleared, they would return to train safely with their respective clubs in preparation for the deferred Fun Flavor Super Sevens Series which was now planned for February 3-5 in Nadi prior to commencing preparation for the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Vancouver 7s in April.

World Rugby claim differs from local stories on Fiji taking part in Malaga Sevens

The captains of the teams taking part in the Malaga event pose for a photo together. Photo: World Rugby

A story released today in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series, the Fiji men’s and women’s teams were not traveling to Malaga for the opening tournament of the Spanish leg this weekend.

“Fiji’s men’s and women’s teams were unable to travel to Malaga and have not been replaced, meaning opponents in their respective group matches will receive three match points for a “bye” and a score of 0-0 will be recorded for those games,” the World Rugby story read.

Fiji 7s may take part in Malaga, Seville: O’Connor

The Fiji 7s men’s and women’s teams have been training hard in case they take part in the Malaga tournament this weekend. Photo: FRU

The Fiji Airways men’s and women’s team 7s teams taking part in the Malaga and Seville tournaments of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens World Series will depend on results of Covid 19 testing today for staff and players, says Fiji Rugby Union chief executive John O’Connor.

“The flight has been arranged for Friday and the results will determine if Fiji will take part in the knockout stage of the Malaga tournament,” Mr O’Connor said.

Fijiana 7s include two new players

The Fijiana 7s team won silver medals in Dubai. Photo: FRU

The Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s side has maintained its core players who played in consecutive finals at the Dubai 7s leg last month and named two new players for Spain.

Savusavu lass Verenaisi Bari and Nadroga first five-eight Ivamere Nabura are the two new faces who have been roped in to the traveling squad.