KITIONE Taliga and Masivesi Dakuwaqa showed a classy performance in the pool stages of the Vancouver 7s to help the Vodafone Fiji 7s team advance to the quarter-finals winning three from three.

The duo stepped in filling big shoes with Isake Katonibau out with injury and Vatemo Ravouvou succumbing to an illness after he, along with members of the team, had contracted a bug while in Las Vegas last week.

National 7s coach Ben Ryan said their matches had been considerably tough.

“It was a tough pool and happy we have come through to remain unbeaten,” he said.

Fiji was tested in their final pool match against Kenya heading into half time locked at 12-12. Taliga, instrumental in the win, evaded opposition’s defence in the dying stages of the match to secure a narrow 24-19 win against the Kenyans.

In their earlier matches the duo scored a hat-trick in the match against Portugal contributing the highest points recorded in the tournament so far winning 62-0. The team also made amends for their loss to Samoa last week when they took on the neighbouring island nation yesterday securing a convincing 38-5 win.

Ryan said there was “excellent support at the Stadium” as fans flocked to support the national team with some carrying dholaks and lali adding a bit of cultural touch to their chants.

Although mum on debutants Josua Vici and Dakuwaqa, Ryan said he would be able to provide an official assessment of the players at the conclusion of the tournament today.