The last time I wrote in this column was looking ahead to the World Series Malaga and Seville 7s tournaments and how important these events were in the lead up to the big Commonwealth Games and World Cup this year.
On that same day, Fiji men and Fijiana teams were ruled out from travelling to Spain because some of our players contracted COVID.
The header yelled that we were aiming for three gold medals. Well, we can slash one out of that because no way can the Fiji men’s 7s side win the
World Series title now after missing two tournaments and getting zero points.
And it is history now, South Africa swept the opposition once again to chalk back-to-back victories in Spain with Fiji, New Zealand and Samoa staying away from the events.
Neil Powell’s men are running hot, setting a new all-time win run record in the World Series for themselves and have five tournament wins in a row post-pandemic restart of the WSS.
And while South Africa and the likes of Australia, England, Argentina and others had quality international hit-out in Spain over two weeks, our Fiji teams missed out on that run.
The restart of the Fun Flavour Fiji Rugby 7s Series couldn’t have popped up at a better time for our teams after it was postponed from the first weekend of last month.
All our national squad players are featuring for their clubs in Sigatoka this weekend and will be in action again in two weeks in Nadi.
The clash in our local series is probably as tough and the two events plus one more penciled in for early next month in Lautoka will give our coaches Ben Gollings and Saiasi Fuli enough to chew on and build the depth and quality in the squad.
In the women’s draw, Mount Masada led by Fijiana skipper Rusila Nagasau will be the team to beat, but Lautoka, Police, and Marist will be hoping to provide a strong challenge.
Champions Police Blue start as favourites in Sigatoka as they have listed a power-packed side that has power, flair and speed all around the park in the likes of Jovesa Talacolo, Suliano Volivoli, Keponi Paul, Waisea Nacuqu, Filipe Sauturaga, Rusiate Matai and 2016 Olympian Samisoni Viriviri.
Double Olympic gold medallist Jerry Tuwai is in action for his LAR Barbarians team. He missed out from the Dubai outings and hasn’t played competitive rugby since last November at the concluding event of the Super Sevens Series.
So this will be a welcome event for Tuwai as he gets much-needed game time over the next three local tournaments building up to the restart of the World Series.
The domestic series has proven to be a great platform for buildup and testimony to this is our national side ahead of the Olympic Games last year.
While international teams were starved of quality game time, our men and women played some competitive games in local tournaments to stay match-fit and game hardened heading to the Japan Olympics as perhaps the best-prepared teams.
I certainly enjoyed Thursday with all the women’s matches with the shadow Fijiana 7s in the form of Mount Masada were too hot to handle. And then yesterday with the start of the men’s games, some wonderful 7s action, but without the fans it certainly feels different and I can’t wait to see supporters back in the stands – hoping that happens soon.
For now, the FBC Sports channel is your favourite place to be and that’s the closest fans can get to the action.
Enjoy the live rugby action and keep supporting our men and women who are working hard to see that they are in good shape as they chase the elusive Commonwealth Games gold medal and the priceless Melrose Cup during the World Cup in Cape Town, South Africa later in the year.
Futsal and Fiji FA strides
The last time I called a football game was in 2013 before I got the opportunity to call Futsal at the Digicel Futsal IDC in Suva last weekend.
Futsal is becoming a very popular sport which is fast and easy to play and doesn’t consume much time. It also fits in for many people who want to just stay fit.
Giants of Fiji Futsal Suva were given a shock in group play by Lami, but champions are champions and they rose to the big occasion and that’s what Player of the Tournament, Shahil Dave and his Suva band produced – simply scintillating, class Futsal to win the tournament.
Kudos to Fiji FA! On the Futsal IDC finals day, the new Digicel Fiji women’s team coach, Lisa Cole, arrived in the country. And Solomon Islander,
Jerry Sam has been appointed as the new Fiji Futsal coach.
Now that’s strides in the right direction and we hope to see our national sides in both codes doing well as they chase Oceania glory and perhaps the elusive berth at the World Cup.
For now, all eyes are fixed on the start of the Digicel Premier League and in a fantastic opening game, it’ll be the battle of the cities – reigning champions Lautoka against 2020 champions Suva – at the ANZ Stadium.
There’s more on the menu for football lovers this season as 10 teams (two more) battle it out for the bragging rights as the DPL champs.
Nadal smashes tennis history
The Australian Open (Tennis) stole the sports headlines around the world even before a ball was served because Novak Djokovic overshadowed the first Grand Slam of the year as he was deported by authorities. Well, that’s a well-told story, but one only ponders on what if the Serb was allowed to play in Australia.
Talk about Rafael Nadal and boy he was super right throughout the tournament and fabulous in the final. Nadal now has the most Grand Slam wins at 21 while Novak and Roger Federer remain at 20.
What a final it was last Sunday night in Melbourne as the scene was set for perhaps the Russian and US Open winner, Deniil Medvedev to win back-to-back Grand Slams. Even the TV commentators in the final in the first two sets were swayed towards Medvedev as he dictated and controlled the flow of play to win the opening pair of sets.
I was betting for Nadal, but at that point I thought Nadal was tiring out and that Medvedev will easily take this one out. Well, Nadal came back and fought tooth and nail to win the next three sets and win the five-hour-and-24-minute thriller in Melbourne 3-2 to carve his name in amongst the tennis gods.
Nadal and Medvedev showed what great sports stars can produce as the final was exciting with long rallies, dazzling shots on the fly and stretch, a number of breakpoints saved, but the best thing was to see the confidence in the face of Nadal who had the will to win over his opponent, 10 years younger than him, in this torrid encounter.
And the Barty party continued in Australia as Ashleigh took out the women’s singles crown – the first in 44 years for Aussie women.
Even the tennis gods are smiling and more excitement awaits in the next Grand Slam in Roland Garros in May. We are flying into a super sports year already, brace for more.
- SATISH NARAIN is a sports commentator with FBC. The views expressed are the author’s and do not reflect the views of this newspaper or his
employer.
