Defending the gold medal is the ultimate goal of the Fiji Bati 9s as they ramp up preparations for the Pacific Games that will be held at the Solomon Islands in a few weeks’ time.
The team is on to its fourth week of weekend camp, sharpening strategic areas that they believe will make the difference come game day.
Head coach and former Fiji Bati captain Vula Dakuitoga said they were laser-focused on key areas.
“Apart from our gym and sand dunes training, our focus really is on our execution on the field which is what we are trying to polish today (yesterday),” Dakuitoga said.
“I want my men to understand their individual tasks on the field, their position but most importantly how they manage the contact or ruck area. That strategic area will determine how quickly we can release the ball and execute our set-piece,” he said.
He said majority of his 15-man squad would be making their first Pacific Games appearance, only two were part of the gold medal winning team in 2019.
“Rusiate Ratu and Josua Roko are the only two surviving players from the 2019 team that I coached. The rest of these players are new, not new to the sport of rugby league but to this environment in which we are embarked on.
“The squad is dominated by Saru Dragons players because they have been consisted throughout the season.”
The Fiji Bati 9s will have a week-long camp from November 6-10 before departing for the Solomon Islands four days later.
