First timers can’t wait for Thursday

Exposure and experience are two areas that the Nanuku Auberge Resort Sevens team will be looking at when the Fiji Bitter Marist 7s tournament kicks off on Thursday.

The Pacific Harbour-based team are playing for the first time in the country’s most prestigious sevens tournament.

Speaking to SUNsports yesterday coach Kusitino Waqanisanini said the players had been preparing well.

“We want our boys to experience what it is like to be playing at top level rugby,” he said.

“None of these players have ever played in the Marist 7s so the excitement is there.

“So to expose these young players by putting them to play against the best in the country, is a bonus to them and the team as a whole.” Waqanisanini said playing in the Marist tournament was going to help boost the sporting career of his players.

“We’ve been training for a few months and the boys are really eager to play,” he said.

“It’s amazing to see the interest and their commitment to training.”

Waqanisanini said the team wanted to keep a low profile heading into the tournament, this weekend. “Nanuku will go in as underdogs and we are ready to give the big guns a good game,” he said, “I believe in my boys because they have been training and are welldisciplined.

“The excitement is such that when they are sent home for the weekend they don’t want to go because they believe by going out, they might lose their spot in the final squad. “They even keep calling me wanting to know about our training plans and the week’s programme.”

Who the face?

The Nanuku Auberge Resort Sevens are in Pool 9 where they face Wardens Gold, Maravu Taveuni and Veiyasana Provider Blues.

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