FOURTEEN players raised their hands and Gareth Baber accepted their desire to be selected for the next leg of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series.
Come this time next week emotions will be high and rugby 7s will be the topic of discussion.
All eyes were on our rugby pundit as he announced his chosen best to fly our flag in the Land of the Long White Cloud and I am for one impressed with his selection, which is an epitome of the effort put in by the old blokes and those who are making their debut on the circuit.
Baber’s selection is nothing but based on merit and I am glad that my plea for the selection of the members in the Fiji Babaas team to the Sudamerica 7s tournament did not fall on deaf ears and five made it in the squad.
The idea of retaining our seasoned campaigners is great as it will allow the new kids including Seta, Kunavula, Nasoko, Veitokani and Labalaba to jell with those who have been part of Ryan’s winning combination such as Oscar, Jasa, Mocenacagi, Nagusa, Nasilasila, Jerry and Viriviri.
Fiji, on paper, looks powerful and the boys have been together for some time. I am placing my bets on this team to rock Wellington and put pressure on leaders Africa and England.
I had earlier queried on why giant paceman Labalaba was omitted from the first leg. Now that he has been chosen by Baber, it is time that he puts up a man of the match performance and prove critics wrong.
Fiji will unite when our boys run on to the Cake Tin Stadium.
Baber and the boys will not lack firepower and divine intervention for we will pray for a victory at the stadium where we started on a high and then faltered along the way even ending in the Bowl competition under Ryan’s coaching days.
While the organisers of the Wellington 7s are mourning the drop in ticket sales, Fijians are soaring with confidence after the naming of our boys to Wellington and Sydney.
Baber has an immense task of moulding this star-studded Fijian outfit into a winning combination.
All the best Baber and the 14 chosen best to fly Fiji’s flag and take us back to winning ways. Toso noqu Viti!
