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TUWAI, GOLLINGS URGED TO WORK TOGETHER

A FORMER national rep has called on Fiji Airways Fiji 7s men’s coach Ben Gollings and two-time Olympic Games gold medallist Jerry Tuwai to set aside their differences and colloborate to ensure the team’s success on the international stage.

It is believed Gollings and Tuwai had a falling out over the way the team was being trained, with the 2019 World Rugby Sevens player of the year being left out of the team since the London 7s in May last year.

Gollings had told the media Tuwai would need to prove himself at local tournaments to stand a chance of playing at the international level.

Livai Ikanikoda, who has played under Gollings and with Tuwai, is urging the Englishman to enlist the support of Tuwai to help secure victories on the HSBC Sevens Series and clinching gold at the Olympics in France later this year.

Ikanikoda emphasised that Tuwai doesn’t need to prove himself at local tournaments, given his extensive international experience, including two Olympic gold medals, the Melrose Cup, and successes in HSBC Sevens Series.

During an interview on Taveuni over the weekend, Ikanikoda expressed his belief that Tuwai left the squad due to a shift in the team’s culture under Gollings.

“I believe he walked out as some of the old practices are no longer being implemented. The culture is gone,” the Police Blues playmaker said.

“If they can work together, the team will do wonders at the international stages. They should work as a team in order to win the HSBC Sevens Series.”

He expressed his full support to the Fiji team, and predicted their triumph in the upcoming Perth leg next weekend.

Meanwhile, the Fiji men’s side faces New Zealand, France and Samoa in pool play.