YOUR VOICE – LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

THE stage is set for an interesting weekend of rugby action in Suva at the 45th edition of the Marist 7s. Yesterday Marist Rugby Club president Lawrence Tikaram said if in the likely scenario that the Fiji Shadow 7s team wins the tournament, the main cup prizemoney would be shared by participating teams. The main prizemoney is $10,000.

Heavy rain marred the opening day of the event yesterday.

It halted pool games for about an hour, in the under-21 and women’s competition.

Tournament director Koli Korovulavula said games were stopped to allow Fiji Sports Council officials to inspect the grounds.

There is no doubt about the impact of the Marist 7s and its place in our colourful history in the abbreviated code.

This is where it all began for us.

This is where many of our 7s stars got their first feel of top class 7s action.

Players carved a path forward and teams earned their stripes here. Annually, it is a much anticipated event, embracing the “who is who” of 7s rugby.

The Marist event has traditionally been a breeding ground for national players who would then make the journey to the mecca of the sport in Hong Kong.

That is ultimately the goal for many players and fans.

That is where we are supposed to be champions. For a very long time, we have had the tendency to believe that Hong Kong belongs to us.

Such is the tight link we have with the Happy Valley. Today, attention will focus on how the top sides fare at the National Stadium.

While there are bolters for top honours, history will attest to the fact that 7s rugby is different.

It can sometimes be determined by the bounce of the ball.

We have an abundance of flair, pace, aggression and knowledge that is spread out among the many teams participating in the event.

It actually makes for an exciting weekend of 7s rugby.

The challenge though will be on national coach Gareth Baber to identify players he knows can step up to the national team level, and at the same time, be mindful of our discipline on the field. That obviously would be a key ingredient moving forward. Discipline and composure under pressure.

Baber knows how much the sport means to us as a nation.

He knows this is the big one annually. This is where many players will probably throw caution to the wind and give 100 per cent to win the title.

We wish all the players the very best today and tomorrow at the Marist 7s, and may the best teams win.