The Fiji Rugby Union has announced a bold 12-man squad for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in Dubai, including seven stars of the past who have not played a minute so far this season on the IRB Sevens World Series.
The move mirrors the selection policy of four years ago, when Fiji brought back a number of overseas-based stars and romped to World Cup success under player/coach Waisale Serevi.
In all there are seven overseas-based players, five of whom were part of the Melrose Cup winning team in Hong Kong in 2005 - towering forwards Apolosi Satala and Semisi Naevo and quicksilver backs Jone Daunivucu, Vilimone Delasau and Sireli Bobo. Exciting France-based wing Neumi Nanuku also returns.
The squad is currently assembled at the Crows Nest in Sigatoka, where coach Iliesa Tanivula faces the challenge of readying the 15-a-side players for the specialist fitness needs of the modern Sevens game. He does, however, also include five local-based players who competed at the recent NZI Sevens in Wellington and USA Sevens in San Diego, who will already be atuned to Sevens.
Tanivula: A good mix
“It’s a good mix,” said coach Iliesa Tanivula. “We have the overseas based players who have been there and done that and who are very experienced, and we also have the local upcoming players that have shown great improvement in their game and have continued to impress on the paddock.”
Of the Fiji-based players The notable inclusions in the team are Pio Tuwai and Watisoni Votu, who were impressive in their recent World Series debuts.
“These two (Tuwai and Votu), Vereniki Goneva and Seremaia Burotu have shown the potential and ability to raise their game," added Tanivula.
"These players have good training ethics and are always eager to push themselves to do what is required of them. For any coach it makes the workload and progress a lot easier and everyone goes away with a feeling of satisfaction of having achieved something during a training run.
“It’s not only their commitment to the game on the field but also off-field. These boys have also shown discipline off the paddock and it reflects in the way they commit themselves to the training and in their performances.”
Tanivula said that the focus now would be to implement a game plan that would suit the players in the squad and boost team performance.
Huge challenge
“The local boys are quite familiar with it. It’s just a matter of getting the overseas based players to learn it. I have no doubts that they will be able to adapt quickly. They have been in the system for a while and the experience they have gained, being exposed to international standard games, is an advantage.
“For all of us this is a huge challenge and we are looking forward to working together.”
The last time the likes of Jone Daunivucu, Semisi Naevo and Neumi Nanuku played for Fiji with any consistency, they helped the country to its only IRB Sevens World Series triumph.
Fiji squad: Forwards - Seremaia Burotu, Semisi Naevo, Napolioni Nalaga, Apolosi Satala, Pio Tuwai; Backs - Sireli Bobo, Jone Daunivucu, Vilimoni Delasau, Vereniki Goneva, Neumi Nanuku, Peni Rokodiva, Watisoni Votu ; Non-travelling reserves: Filimoni Bolavucu, Apisai Naiyabo, Orisi Sareki, Waisale Sukanaveita
