Anand hopeful in making the Police sevens team
Anand Sami is a regular face at the local sevens tournaments and he hopes that in the near future he will be part of either the Police Blues or Police Whites team
A policeman by profession, Sami involvement in sevens with his iTaukei friends started when he was attending primary school at St Agnes Primary in Nabua outside Suva.
“I attended Rishikul Sanatan College for secondary school and they did not play rugby there, so when I joined the Police Force it was back to playing rugby for me,” Sami said.
“My favourite player is Jerry Tuwai because of his stature, small in built but he can do great things,” he said.
“I can put myself in his shoes as an IndoFijian. I may be in the minority but having played with Fijian friends I can also play against them. “I have played in the Nawaka and Uluinakau sevens, this is my second Marist sevens and I’m looking forward to giving my best for my Central Brothers team.” Sami already has his training programme after the Marist Sevens as he is in the Police Eastern side for the upcoming Police interunit rugby competition.
Central Brothers is one of the four teams in the 47th Marist sevens Fellow Fijians division.
The other three teams are the Lautoka Maroons, Nadi Prataps and Rosy Hearts.
The four teams will play in the round robin before the top two will play the finals to determine the winner of the division. Tertiary student Rohit Lal, 20, is no easy opponent when it comes to sevens. Growing up in Seaqaqa in a iTaukei community he is used to the hard tackles and dreadful play. “I grew up in a iTaukei dominated community Seaqaqa, I have been playing rugby in the neighbourhood long before I came to Suva to attend Fiji National University,” Lal said.