7s cool off at Colo-i-Suva
And they are tasked as individual players to collectively to come back with the right attitude so when they turned up for training they are ready to go. What happens off the field is very important to me as the coach-Gareth Baber
As the New Year approaches, the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team capped off their preparation by cooling off at the popular Colo-i-Suva pools.
The team’s strength and conditioning coach, Naca Cawanibuka, tweeted yesterday: “Finishing the year on a mountain. Vinaka boys for an awesome 2018. Vinaka Viti for all your support. Ni sa moce.” After round one of the HSBC World Sevens Series, Fiji is in third place with 35 points, just behind New Zealand in second place with 37 and USA with 38.
We won fifth place in Dubai after going down 14-24 to USA in the Cup quarterfinal. However, we fought back with a title win in Cape Town after beating USA 29-15 in the Cup final.
The next round is Hamilton, New Zealand (January 26-27) and Sydney, Australia, (February 1-3).
It is very important for players to have the right conduct off the field as it affects their performance during tournaments, says Gareth Baber.
The Fiji Airways Fijian 7s head coach stressed the importance of having the right attitude after the squad had their training in Colo-i-Suva yesterday.
Baber emphasized on the need for players to be mentally and physically focused to produce results in the second cluster of the World Sevens Series in Hamilton and Sydney next month.
“I feel it is very important for players to behave correctly when they are not with us as it gives me an indication of where their thought processes are on how they prepare before they come into camp,” Baber said.
“Obviously training is not just about turning up and running around the field. There is a lot of preparation that goes into it and we talked a lot about that.
“And they are tasked as individual players to collectively to come back with the right attitude so when they turned up for training they are ready to go. What happens off the field is very important to me as the coach.
“There is a huge amount of sevens that is being played here so I try as best as I could to get out there and try to speak to local coaches. But obviously I will need to get to see those players.
“We have senior players with the likes of Seremaia Tuwai, Paula Dranisinukala and Josua Vakurinabili and it is necessary for me to bring them and make them play alongside these young players.”
Strength & Conditioning Coach
The Welshman also mentioned new Strength and Conditioning Coach Ian Gibbons who will replace Naca Cawanibuka. “Naca’s new focus will be on our on-island Strength and Conditioning programme which is to assist and develop, upskill all our local provincial, schools and club coaches. “Gibbons will be in the country next Wednesday and obviously he will observe Naca who have done so much for sevens here in Fiji. “Ian has a lot of experience with Kenya and USA 7s as well.
“And he has good experience in club rugby in the United Kingdom.
“And he had got a wealth of experience in that and his transition is going to be coming to work in Fiji and it’s a unique position. And he will need the time to assess and get himself where he needs to.
“However, we have put plans together to make sure we hit the right and physical and mental state and we need to win those two tournaments.
“And it is crucial for us to stay at those levels that we finished in Cape Town. We got to trust your plan and make sure we are managing the players the best we can.
Year End Review
“I guess this year we did some great stuff but didn’t come away with the prizes that we wanted to.
“And I think in any team’s development sometimes we have to look at the things that we really need to get to and use that motivation to get to where you need to get to. “The players are very ambitious as they want to honour the white jersey and want to please everybody in Fiji on what they can achieve.
“Obviously we are vying for the top spot in the World Sevens Series this year which has a double meaning where the top four gets an automatic qualification into the 2020 Olympics Games. And as defending champion we will do our best to retain the Hamilton 7s title.”
New Year’s Message
“Keep doing what you have been doing guys! And prepare to work hard just like Ben Vota who had been an instrumental player. He’s always the first to congratulate the opposition if they lose and humble in victory.”