Show the Kaiviti Power boys !

Fiji looked a much improved side from previous IRB tournaments but poor scrum-aging show the side loss berth for Cup title but later win the Plate prize in the London Sevens.

The upper body strength is lacking in our players as they were unable to hold the ruck in almost all of their games.

Sevens is becoming more physical now and teams with players possessing upper body strength have gone far to win the tournaments.

For instant South Africa plays a very physical game and have poised threats to Fiji defence in previous encounters.

Fijian flair in sevens is not contact rugby but rather the tradition ball flowing style.

Also, Fijisevenstalanoa believes Osea Kolinisau should have faith in his speed. He is a good defender but he always hesitates to run for the corner.

Show the KAIVITI POWER boys and all the best in Scotland !

Fiji lacks a competent captain

Fiji sevens side lacks a competent captain with all required skills embedded in him.

While experience may be brimming in players like Emosi Vucago, Vereniki Goneva and Nasoni Roko, the question is – whether it is the only facet needed in a player to make a cut for the captain’s job.

The Fijisevenstalanoa doesn’t think so!

Communication is another important portion missing in many of our sevens players.

Communicating well with the referee or the game officials and disseminating those exact phrases to his players had been a difficult task for our captains.

The main problem is understanding the language - English.

If the players get wrong or misinterpreted quotes from their captain … they will continue to repeat the same indiscipline over again, as seen in the previous tournamnets, costing them the game.

The blame should be directed to the messenger (the captain) – who in first place failed to understand the referees point and without clarifying, gave his players the wrong order!

Also the coach should be held for a wrong choice but what else he can do with limited options in his hand.

No wonder he has co-captains that allows him to shoot the wrong messenger replacing him with another throughout the tournament.

Only if the messenger delivers accurately – there won’t be any need to have dual captains and later the ‘shooting of the messenger’.

Malo - the jinx in Fiji sevens side !

Alifereti Malo is a grumpy guy and yet the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) choose him to manage our national sevens side.

The Fiji sevens side has not won a single tournament under his guidance as the team manager.

You may think it is just an ordinary drift but if you precisely follow the trend … you will be convinced Malo is an ill-fated fellow in the sevens bunch.

The friendly and co-operative feature is what that is lacking in him. Malo tends to act more like a BOSS rather a TEAM MANAGER as seen in earlier tournaments.

The players need good care and gracious officials to lead and manage them.

People like Malo demoralize the players’ zeal and their quest to quench the nations thirst of a victory or victories.

Jope Tuivanuavou (the manager of the national side in Hong Kong Sevens) is one of the best examples of good leader.

He should have been bestowed with the task rather than Malo.

A team is not made up of players only - it is made up of all those who are part of the side either they be coach or manager.

Hope Malo is able to break his personal “jinx” showing us he is capable of managing a winning team.

Good Luck !!

Reasons why Fiji sevens side cannot win in the remaining tournaments!

1) The side lacks an experience playmaker.

2) The side lacks speed merchants (only Orisi Sareki seems to have speed in the side)

3) The side lacks intensity and endurance as seen in past tournaments.

4) The side lacks a good captain (no wonder why there are co-capitains in the side).

5) The side does not have a good manager ( Alifereti Malo) to manage the team properly - a detail story to follow later.

Reasons why Fiji sevens side can win in the reamaining tournaments!

1) The side squad which wion the Hong Kong Sevens is retained i.e the side has tasted victory and knows how desparate the Fiji people is for another win.

2) The side has good combination since the players had been bonding together for sometime.

3) The side has experience players with good skills.

4) The fitness in the side is the best.

5) The side is very displined - as there hasn't been any report yet of breaking camp and other mishaps.

6) Confidence is amongst the players as many of them have represented Fiji earlier.

7) Have unremitting support from the Fiji fans locally and overseas.

8) Have easy pool games (apart from Kenya, other teams looks no threat to national side).

Injury Blow - does this signify the end of Rokodiva's flourishing career?

Rugby is said to be one of the most dangerous of many sports played throughout the world.

Injuries either minor or major - are evitable and have become a part of rugby.

Those able to sustain such injuries has gone to become legends but those getting troubled at flourishing stage of their career has been said to have a bleak rugby future.

Young Peni Rokodiva started his rugby career from school grade and represented the national sevens side at the 2008/2009 IRB World Sevens series.

With a shear speed and eye for gap, Rokodiva has been an outstanding player with and advantage of rugby running in his genes.

But lately he has missed some IRB tournaments because of a niggling injury, which now has turned into a horrendous one.

With a lot of hope to shine in London and Scotland Sevens, Rokodiva had been dropped once again from the national sevens team.

It would a heartbreaking for Rokodiva to watch on television the national sevens side play or more worse and hope it doesn’t happen – to lose.

The side will be bit affected by his absence but the question many asking is - will Rokodiva get away from this other part of rugby – INJURY- in future to prevent similar axe from national squad.

Will he be able to turn into a greatest player in sevens arena like his mentor Waisale Serevi.

This question might be troubling him as it does to fijisevenstalanoa because Rokodiva has proved to be a gem in sevens world.

Whilst the sevens season is coming to an end (after London and Scotland sevens) the best thing Rokodiva needs to do is get a break from the pitch.

It’s never wise to risk a thriving career by jumping onto the rugby field while carrying injuries – knowing that the injury might become worse.

All the best to Peni and hope he gets well soon to once again dazzle in the sevens circuit.





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Best ever side selected

The final 12-member team named for remaining two IRB tournaments is the best ever team.

The idea to retain the winning team is the right move by the sevens selectors.

These players had been together for more than a month and should have really build a good combination.

The fitness of these players looks the best as they proved by winning the Hong Kong sevens earlier.

Had they retained the fitness - the answer lies within the selectors and players ?

The fijisevenstalano hopes with the whole nation that our sevens side clinch the second title in two years.

Forwards: Apisai Nayabo, Pio Tuwai, Waqabaca Kotobalavu, Watisoni Votu and Jerry Burotu.
Backline: Emosi Vucago, Jiuta Lutumailagi, Niumaia Cakacaka, Osea Kolinisau, Orisi Sareki, Vereniki Goneva and Nasoni Roko

Will Lutumailagi be able to succeed the kicking task ?

Nadroga flyer Jiuta Lutumailagi is eyed to be given the kicking job in the remaining IRB sevens Series tournament by coach Iliesa Tanivula.

But the question here is - will he be able to live up to the expectation of the national side.

Fiji lost the touch of Midas after top choices Lepani Nabuliwaqa and William Ryder were dropped because of injury and discipline.

Since then the national side have not been able to produce a good fly-half which saw Fiji lose crucial points in conversions kicking.

Lutumailagi has played club competition locally and also at international level in France in the Top 14 and also the Pro Division 2.

He is also the leading point scorer in Digicel Cup (domestic 15s competition).

The skills and potential is there but will Lutumailagi is able to sustain the pressure in the international sevens scene is yet to be seen.

Hope he is able to patch the chink in our national sevens armour and becomes the next BIG THING IN THE SEVENS RUGBY !!

Selectors retain winning team - a positive sign !

This has been the best thing our sevens selectors have done to date - retaining the team that win the Hong Kong Sevens a month ago.

When the maestro Waisale Serevi had been the coach - the team used to change during each IRB Sevens Series tournaments. I rest my case on selectors and Serevi!

The reason given that time was that the selectors were trying out a winning combination.

That winning combination was detected during current coach Iliesa Tanivula reign when Fiji won the HK 7s.

The reason for retaining the same team in the last two tournaments as selectors might say - is that we have a winning comibination in our nation sevens side.

The final squad is due to be named by next week and it will be interesting to see which three players are dropped to make the final 12-member team.

Lets hope this team proves that they really are the best string sevens sevens available in Fiji.

The 15-players selected are: In the forwards Seremia Burotu, Pio Tuwai, Suli Ramasima, Apisai Nayabo, Watison Votu, Jolame Bera, Waqabaca Kotobalavu while the backs includes Niumaia Cakacaka, Osea Kolinisau, Vereniki Goneva, Nasoni Roko, Orisi Sareki, Emosi Vucago, Peni Rokodiva and Jiuta Lutumailagi.

Team selection delayed - four reasons why ??

The Fiji Sevens selectors seems to have a tough time selecting the best 12 for the last leg of IRB sevens series.

The selection of team was supposed to be done by yesterday (Thursday May,7) but a latest release from the FRU house said it has been postponed to today.

Acting FRU CEO Keni Dakuidreketi said the delay was due to unavailability of sponsors.

But the Fijisevenstalanoa believes there is something FISHY in the postponement of the team selection.

We understand it is important for the sponsors to be present but wasn't Serevi's presence when he was the coach important during the announcement of team in the press conference !!! Doesn't this imply something ???

Come clear FRU and state the true reason why there is a delay in team selections !!

The Fijisevenstalanoa has drafted four reason that MAY have caused the delay :

Scenario One

Keni may be right in saying that the sponsors were not available.

Scenario Two

The selectors maybe having a tough time selecting the best 12 players. All players in the training squad seems to have equal calibre and this maybe frustrating our selectors in naming the final squad.

Scenario Three

There may be disagreement between the selectors on the players to choose. Or maybe coach Iliesa Tanivula's choice is not being considered and the selectors wants to have its final say as in Serevi's case.

Scenario Four

The players from Hong Kong team maybe demanding their full payment before representing Fiji in the remaining two tournaments (as it was disclosed earlier this week that the players have not been given the full $5000).

Pool draws for London and Scotland Sevens

Fiji is drawn with Kenya, USA and Scotland in Pool C for the London Sevens.

The Iliesa Tanivula-coached side will face a tough challenge from the giant killers Kenya, which has been the most improved team in the 2008/2009 IRB series so far.

South Africa is top seed in Pool A with Australia, Wales and Germany. England heads Pool B with Samoa, France and Georgia while Argentina and New Zealand are the top teams in Pool D that also has Portugal and Canada.

The London Sevens will be played at Twickenham on May 23-24.

THE SCOTLAND SEVENS DRAWS

The national sevens side is drawn with Australia, Portugal and Spain for the upcoming Scotland Sevens.

Australia with a good outing in Adelaide Sevens seems to be the only threat to the national sevens side in the pool.

Spain and Portugal are not seen as a danger but never know - with current sevens trend and consistency - any team can be the winner in the abbreviated code.

The pool of death is Pool A where IRB point leaders South Africa and New Zealand are drawn with France and USA.

Pool C is also expected to be a thriller when giantkiller Kenya is drawn with second placed England with Canada and Scotland while Argentina is the top seed in Pool D with Wales, Samoa and Georgia.

The Scotland Sevens at Murrayfield is on May 30-31.

Fiji Sevens Till Now ...

THE Fiji sevens side has only won a tournament in 2008/2009 International Rugby Board

The Hong Kong Sevens victory has really turned the "angry" Fiji sevens fans into jovial mood.

With Scotland and London Sevens around the corner - a lot is expected from our boys despite knowing the fact that win in both tournaments will not win us the IRB series.

Nevertheless, a win is a WIN and for crazy Fijian fans - it will be a 100 per cent ease from the brain wrecking Fiji's political environment !!

Here the pool standing of the sevens teams so far.

	Team	Total points
	South Africa	104
	England	76
	Fiji	74
	Argentina	68
	New Zealand	64
	Kenya	58
	Samoa	36
	Australia	20
	USA	20
	Wales	12