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'There is only one team that can score the amount of tries that we do'

Gareth Baber

Head coach Gareth Baber believes his Fiji sevens team can overcome their lack of international rugby by proving they are still the most dangerous force in the sport when they take part in the 2021 PacificAus Sports Oceania Rugby Sevens in Townsville starting on Friday.

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Fiji are up against hosts Australia in their opening game and also face New Zealand and an Oceania select side in their only tournament before they defend the Olympic Games gold medal in Tokyo.

Baber said: “Without possession, if we can get the elements right and create pressure without the ball, I know that there is only one team in the world that can score the amount of tries that we do with the least number of rucks and least number of passes.

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The greatest South African rugby side of all time

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“Particularly with the skills we have naturally in our game, there is a plan to play our game with ease and clarity on the field to do what we have to do. There has been a lot going on back home like the pandemic over the last few months and I am pleased that the boys have chosen to think of their families and just put one foot in front of the other.

“They know the challenge ahead is an exciting one and they get back to playing international rugby and get back to do what they love doing. These young players are really good when it comes to on and off field behaviour or training. They have been working really hard and I know they will surely shine during the three-day competition”

The Fiji team is captained by the outstanding Jerry Tuwai who is relishing the chance to play in a tournament before heading to Japan. “It’s been long and everyone one of us are looking forward to playing Australia and New Zealand, whom we last faced in the World Rugby Sevens Series a year ago,” said Tuwai. “I think all the boys have been training really well for the past few months and we are excited for the Oceania 7s and it will be a good ground for us to try and put together a team that will contest and play in Tokyo.

“It is really important for all of us, as the experienced players who have been playing in the series have been out for about a year now and I think playing against teams like New Zealand and Australia that have been playing with us in the series it will be a really good test and an opportunity for us to put together a team that can defend the gold medal in Olympic Games.”

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S
SK 31 minutes ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

34 Go to comments
J
JW 5 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

147 Go to comments
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