Consistency Is The Key- Seruvakula
Newly appointed Fiji coach for the Australia National Rugby championship Senirusi Seruvakula believes player’s need to maintain consistency if they want to book a spot in the final team.
Speaking to SUNsports yesterday Seruvakula confirmed they would select players from the Skipper Cup and Vodafone Vanua competitions into the extended 65 member squad. “We will select players who are participating in the Skipper cup and Vodafone Vanua competitions; we are looking at a bigger picture.
“This is a great opportunity for me to coach the team, it’s pathway for any coaches for any club level and provincial, I know it’s a big task but we need to prepare well to play well in this competition,” Seruvakula said.
Fiji plays Brisbane City first at Ballymore on September 2 and Melbourne Rising in the second round on September 9 at Harlequin Oval in Melbourne.
The Fijians will then play their first ever home game two weeks later in round three on September 16 when they host the NSW Country Eagles at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. The other teams to make the trip to Fiji this year will be defending champions Perth Spirit in Round 4 at the ANZ Stadium on September 23, Queensland Country in round eight on October 21 at Churchill Park, Lautoka and the Sydney Rays (Round 9) at the ANZ Stadium on October 28.
“When the squad will be named to go to Brisbane and Melbourne, the rest of the extended squad will be doing their own design training programmes in their respective centres done by the strength and conditioning team.
“Opportunities are there for the rest of the players if they put their hands up, if they doing their work from the three centres and we will consider them. They have to be consistent with their training and have discipline.
“Players who are going in for the first leg will have to prove themselves, this is another level of competition so they will need to prove themselves to be in the team,” Seruvakula said.
The list of the 65 extended squad will be released soon with the first fitness test is expected to take place next week, after the fitness test the extended squad will cut down to 36 and the squad will march in for a three days camp from August 7-9. Seruvakula has also confirmed he will be joined by the Flying Fijians technical coaches and supporting staff when the 36 squad will march back into camp on August 14.
The side will depart for Australia on August 31.