Focus, reload, redouble 7s effort in City of Angels

We are in situation where we want to be. Although we maybe 5th on the World Sevens Series, the mood, the confidence is back, and that’s important.

It took us three tournaments to win and the flow on effect from the Sydney victory early this month was what the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team needed to put our campaign back on track, with six tournaments to go. Ever since the victory at the Bankwest Stadium in Parramatta, our players have been ticking the right boxes- off the field that is.

And this augurs well as we prepare to launch our assault on the Los Angeles 7s this weekend at the Dignity Health Sports Park, home of the LA Galaxy (MLS) and the LA Chargers (NFL).

The 2019 Fiji Sports Awards last weekend was another ‘icing on the cake’ because it not only put them on the spotlight, but on the right spot moving forward.

With Seremaia Tuwai winning the Sportsman of the Year, Gareth Baber Coach of the Year and Team of the Year, we hope the success will motivate the team to achieve more.

The team has set the standard in Sydney and we can’t afford to slip.

How the team dismantled New Zealand (5-26) should be recommend for the coaching manual. Napolioni Bolaca finally established himself as a potential future playmaker. Aminiasi Tuimaba, instead of using his burning speed out wide, ran against the groove and probing for gaps and scoring.

Team captain Meli Derenalagi contesting kickoffs and general play was spot on.

But players must shift into overdrive in every tournament from now on, building momentum in every game. We can’t afford to blow hot and cold as was the case in the past.

Players need to be better because they have played together for so long.

We are still not quite there yet, but we’ve proved that we can turn a bad situation into good.

It’s time to reload and redouble our efforts in the ‘city of angels’.

We are a cut above the rest winning our first ever Sydney tournament early this month.

We can crack another first in LA this weekend.

Let’s support our boys do the job.