HEAD coach Osea Kolinisau’s Fiji Airways men’s sevens team commenced their Cape Town Sevens journey this weekend with a high-stakes encounter against the host nation, South Africa, in their opening pool match. This exciting clash is set for Saturday, with kick-off scheduled for 10:44 PM local time.
The match promises to be fiercely competitive, as the South Africans aim to begin their title defense on a strong note while Fiji seeks to make a significant impact in the pool stage, with aspirations of reaching the semi-finals. The competition is intense, given that Fiji is placed in a challenging pool alongside formidable teams like New Zealand and Great Britain.
Fiji last claimed the Cape Town Sevens trophy during the 2018/19 season of the HSBC Sevens Series. Since then, replicating that success has proven difficult, with the team only managing to secure plate victories in the past two seasons. However, this season presents a new opportunity for the Fijian side to reclaim their former glory.
Adding to the momentum, Fiji enters the tournament after a strong showing, having clinched a bronze medal at the Dubai Sevens last week. Kolinisau emphasized the importance of securing points in this long series, stating, “It’s a long series and we wanted to stay in touch with the leaders, so we needed the points. It’s good to see the boys come out and fight for the game like their life depended on it.”
Following their match against South Africa, the Fijian team will face Great Britain on Sunday at 1:38 AM and then take on New Zealand at 5:19 AM. This rigorous schedule underscores the importance of their performance as they navigate through the pool stages.
Fiji’s commitment and determination to advance in the tournament reflect their resilient spirit, and fans are hopeful that the team will emerge victorious as they strive to recapture their standing in the world of sevens rugby.
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