Former Fiji 7s and 15s skipper Ro Alifereti Doviverata believes the Team Fiji men’s 7s team has not shown its full capacity after winning its pool in the Olympic Games yesterday.
Fiji met Australia in the quarter-finals last night after remaining unbeaten from its pool by beating Japan 24-19, Canada 28-14 and shellshocked Great Britain 33-7.
In last night’s quarters New Zealand was to play Canada, Great Britain vs USA, South Africa against Argentina and Fiji vs Australia which had Samu Kerevi.
Doviverata said Fiji would start to show its real form in the quarter-finals.
“In the quarter-final they will up their game. It’s good that they won their pool,” the Rewa chief said.
With COVID-19 scrapping the World Rugby Sevens Series, the ideal training ground for the Olympics, coach Gareth Baber scrambled around for game time in the Fiji Rugby Union 7s series and the Oceania 7s in Australia.
Doviverata said staying alive in the Olympics would depend on how the players play copy-book style game plan laid down by the coach.
“They have their game plans and the coach has his plans. It is just a matter of showing their game plans on the field. They must have game plans for certain games and it is just about executing those game plans when needed.”
Fiji started sluggishly against Japan which had three Fijians.
Fiji scored first but the hosts hit back strongly to lead at halftime.
Baber and his men were saved by the bench through Waisea Nacuqu’s double.
Ro Dovi said Fiji just had to settle and play its natural game.
“It is simply doing the right things at the right time on the field and looking after certain areas well during the game. It is about teamwork, looking out for each other and getting their execution right.
“Everything will come if they play together and the end result will be the scoring of tries. They just have to follow their game plans properly.”
He calls for support.
“We all want a positive outcome but watching the first two games, some people would be critical. We have seen that after the third game we are improving. All we got to do is to support them and let them play their game.”
