Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s have set their sights on a clinical performance at the Hong Kong Sevens — which doubles as this year’s World Championship — as head coach Richie Walker places discipline and execution at the centre of the team’s preparations ahead of competition this weekend. Walker warned that in the high-tempo, high-stakes environment of the World Championship, small errors and lapses in composure can quickly turn tight contests against the world’s best into costly defeats.
“Discipline is really, really huge for us,” Walker said, noting the side has conducted a thorough review of penalties from recent legs in Vancouver and New York. He added that while 50-50 calls are part of the game, the team must eliminate obvious infractions that come from predictable breakdowns in technique and decision-making. To tackle that issue concretely, the Fijiana brought a referee into training to break down recurring offences and advise on how players should adapt their play.
The referee’s input has been used not only to dissect past mistakes but to rehearse better responses in match-like conditions, Walker said. He revealed the coaching group is drilling discipline into every aspect of preparation — even in game-day warm-ups — to guard against the kind of anxious reactions he says Fijian players sometimes show when they crave possession. “As Fijians, we can get a bit anxious because we want the ball so much. Sometimes that leads to us going off our structure or getting too high in contact,” Walker said.
Execution in attack is the other pillar of Walker’s game plan. The coach emphasised a direct approach to move the ball forward: use powerful ball carriers to punch through contact and create space for speedy finishers on the wings. “We know the quickest way to the try line is going forward. If we can get our big runners carrying strongly and create space for our finishers out wide, then our execution will fall into place,” he said.
The focus on penalties and composure comes as the Fijiana prepare to test themselves against elite opposition in Hong Kong, where margins are slim and refereeing decisions can shape outcomes. Bringing an official into training is a notable step that underscores how seriously the team views repeated infringements as preventable and addressable before they affect results on the biggest stage.
This development follows a period of scrutiny and discussion around the Fijiana program in recent months. While earlier reports flagged questions about coaching continuity and performance, Walker’s immediate priority is getting the team to perform cleanly and with purpose at the World Championship — a tournament that will reveal whether the adjustments in discipline and execution translate into improved results against top-tier opponents.
The Fijiana will head into Hong Kong aiming to blend controlled, structured play with the attacking flair that has long characterised Fijian sevens. How well they manage their composure and minimise penalties across the weekend will likely determine whether they can advance deep into the World Championship.
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