Promoting Fiji In San Francisco
Members of the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team will take time out from their hectic schedule in San Francisco today.
They will take part in a Tourism Fiji and Fiji Airways ‘Bula Spirit’ promotion.
They will also tour the UCSOF Benioff Children’s Hospital in Oakland where they will meet patients, members of the community along with local youth rugby programme participants from the Oakland Warthogs.
Pictured: South African sevens player Rosko Specman and Fiji Airways Fijian 7s rep Alasio Naduva in San Francisco on July 18, 2018
Who will cover the World Cup Sevens for the FIJI SUN Contrasting preparation styles worry NZ coach
Defending Rugby World Cup Sevens champions New Zealand are wary about the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team.
Speaking to TVNZ, New Zealand 7s coach Clark Laidlaw spoke about the contrasting preparations the both teams had. Laidlaw also admitted that time will tell whether his team’s approach was correct.
He pointed out that it was important to find the balance while preparing for this weekend’s Rugby World Cup Sevens rather than try to replicate an overseas camp like an extended Fijian squad had held in Utah.
“I suppose we’ll tell you on Sunday night whether we’re happy with what we’ve done but with such a big year and time away from home, we felt it was important to get the balance right between training and time at home with family and friends,” he said.
The other factor in Laidlaw’s decision not to hold any “flash camps” was the new centralised sevens programme in Tauranga. “We’re centralised now so we train together every day so we didn’t feel we needed to go to any flash camps. “We had a couple days over in Raglan which suits us, we got a bit of training done over there so that was cool before we left on Friday (for San Francisco).”
Laidlaw has named four Fijian players- Jona Nareki, Joe Ravouvuou, Akuila Rokolisoa and Salesi Rayasi in his squad. Conversely, Fijian 7s head coach Gareth Baber, hopes the two weeks altitude training would give his star-studded team a physical edge in the knockout tournament at sea level in San Francisco.
“We’re in a good training environment, there’s as little distraction around us, we have the training ground, we have a training gym, swimming pools, recovery centres - all the things that makes it easy,” Baber said.
Baber has included Europe-based stars, Josua Tuisova, Leone Nakarawa, Semi Kunitani and former Parramatta Eels star Semi Radradra in the 12-man squad.