JAY Whyte, the tournament founding director of the McDonald’s Coral Coast Fiji 7s, has thanked the wide community of sponsors, media partners, teams, officials, fans and supporters for the success of this year’s tournament, which ended yesterday.
The tournament concluded with the Yaro Chiefs being crowned the men’s champions and walking away with $50,000 in prize money after an epic cup final against the Ravuka Sharks. Whyte said its success was credited to the people that helped make it what it was, and how everything flowed efficiently as a result of their work and efforts.
“The success of the tournament is the people; that’s the quickest summary I can give you,” Whyte told Times Sport. “The action on the field will take care of itself because of the quality of the players, but it’s what happens in the grandstand and around the ground in Lawaqa Park with all its limitations and facilities and what we have to try and do each year to make it better.”
He compared the success of the Coral Coast 7s to a tree and how success flowed harmoniously due to the concerted effort shown by everyone to make it happen.
“I’m just the top of the tree so to speak, but the roots and the foundation, the branches of all the people that helped make it happen,” he said. “From the media to the groundsman, to the volunteers, the ball kids, the
sponsors who back us, support us and finance the tournament and allow free entry for the people, our special guests, our ambassadors, our commentators that come and give their services to the tournament. It’s just a huge team effort.”
