Our secret game plan

MORE is at stake for New Zealand, Australia and Fiji in this weekend’s PacificAust Sports Oceania Sevens tournament in Townsville, says former Naitasiri rugby coach and former Fiji 7s selector Sailosi Naiteqe Sr.

Naiteqe Sr now resides with his family in Charters Towers Town near Townsville City where the tournament will take place.

“This will not only to prepare for the Olympics,” he said.

“There’s a lot more at stake. It will be a chance to size each other up and play a guessing game on each team’s strength and weakness in the Olympic Games. This tournament is about seeing each other’s weakness and how each team can counter each other in Japan.

“We are talking about gold in the Olympics. This is where our opposition will know how we will run and tackle.

“Each team will not give away its tactics. The team which gives away a lot of its composition and techniques in this tournament will get to work a lot harder in the Olympics.

“We are the master of sevens, but Australia and New Zealand are our traditional rivals. The Oceania Sevens is the best chance for them to look at the players we are selecting and the style of play we will use.

“In 2016 Ben Ryan surprised everyone, now with COVID-19 holding us back from training, their best bet is to look at our strength and build their attacks against it.”

Fiji coach Gareth Baber has remained confident since arriving in Brisbane a fortnight ago.

Fiji is expected to have hitman Semi Radradra, the All Blacks 7s will have some All Blacks reps and Super Rugby influence and Australia with Samu Kerevi.

Whatever the result, the coveted Olympics 7s gold medal is the most prized possession in this 7s campaign.

“It’s going well and there are no major issues. We are looking forward to the weekend and getting back to playing international rugby,” Baber said.