Tour on radar
FIJI, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND PLAN 7S WARM-UPS
THE Fiji 7s team campaign for solid preparation before the Olympic Games in Japan could be boosted with proposed warmup games with traditional rivals Australia and New Zealand.
This could put Fiji’s foot on solid foundation in defending the rugby gold medal amid the restrictions placed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The proposed plan was revealed to this newspaper by Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber.
“We are looking to go to Australia and that will be to play against Australia and New Zealand,” Baber said.
Although with the current border situation, planning an optimum time to travel had its obstacles, he said.
“It has not been finalised and has been shifted and moved, but we hope we are going to get there.”
After calling for local teams to test the Fiji 7s team in recent local tournaments they play in, Baber said results and performances of players had been showing vast improvements.
“In the Marist 7s tournament, we played two cup finals against Raiwasa Taveuni, a cup final against Wardens Gold and Fire pushed us all the way on day one.
“To win an Olympics, you have to win six games and those six games will be like six cup finals.”
On Baber's blueprint there was still one more major test to play which Fiji's elite top local 7s teams will be a key factor.
“We will be looking for potentially six teams in the near future to run a mini tournament, similar to the Olympics where they play us and we have to go through six games.
“At the moment we will see where we are and assess our injuries.”
STRIKER Mosim Khan starred for Ba scoring both goals against Navua in the final of the Digicel Fiji Muslim Sports Association Inter District Championship at Prince Charles Park in Nadi yesterday.
Khan drove in from close range in the first spell and then nodded in Abbu Zahid's corner kick late in the second spell to seal victory. Ba won $1000 while Navua received $500.
In the semi-finals, Navua defeated Valelevu 5-4 via a penalty shootout while Ba beat Labasa 3-1. Ba coach Tevita Seru said they only had one week's preparation.
He said it was hard work and the fitness of his players that made them win.
“I thank the boys for their hard work and their families for the support,” Seru said.
“We are grateful to the sponsors. Most of the players are playing in Ba, so it was about building a good combination with high level fitness.”
Ba last won the FMSA IDC title in 2018. Defending champion Meigunyah was bundled out of the tournament in the quarterfinals.
FMSA president Javed Ahmed said all the quarter-finalists had qualified for the Super Eight Championship in October.
Seru said the players would take a break and would return to training occasionally for the October tournament.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Employment, Industrial Relations, Labour, Youth and Sports, Parveen Kumar, who was the special guest during the final commended the Fiji Football Association for keeping the Easter long weekend free on their annual calendar to allow players to participate in their respective religious tournaments.