Focus on exposure: Fuli
Fiji Airways 7s assistant coach Saiasi Fuli will continue the long term plan that coach Gareth Barber has set in place at the Silicon Valley 7s tournament in San Jose, California this weekend Departing with the team on Tuesday, Fuli said they are more focused on getting exposure for the new players rather than getting the results.
“It’s not the matter of results, it is a matter of exposure as the results will come once the objective has been achieved,” he said.
“This is an international competition which is very tough because we have top teams like USA, Argentina, Australia, England and Samoa. This is the best stage to expose the new boys to play in those competitions.”
“There is no other place to engage than the international tournament. If you play in Fiji you can’t gauge players to compete effectively internationally.”
He added though the approach maybe is different, the senior players will be able to mould the young players who will carry on the baton in the future.
“I know it is new, but that is the long term plan we want to see this new boys in two years to be matured in the sport
“The senior players like Jasa Veremalua and Amenoni Nasilasila will carry on the baton for the new season and the same goes to the teams that played in the Central Coast Sevens over the weekend.
“We trust the depth in the squad for the off- season can perform to expectation when they are select- ed.”
Fuli said even though Fiji played above expectation at the Munich 7s, they lost to Australia, who also won the Central Coast Sevens beating the Seremaia Tuwai-captained team in the final.
Fuli said this is all part of the development of the squad.