The West Coast Drifters under-21 side from Nanuku in Vatuwaqa made their mark at the Fiji Bitter Yalovata Sevens tournament at Nasau Park yesterday but faced an unfortunate end to their campaign.
The team was on track to qualify for the cup quarter-finals today but was disqualified after it was discovered they had fielded a player already registered with their senior men’s team.
As per tournament rules, this resulted in their disqualification, and the Seventy by Seven team was given their spot in the cup quarter-finals.
Coach Turuva Babadra acknowledged the team’s oversight and emphasised the experience remained a valuable learning opportunity.
“We trained hard and gave it our all on the field. Unfortunately, this situation was a setback, but it’s part of the learning experience for us as a developing team,” he said.
Despite the setback, the team expressed gratitude to the tournament organisers for their support and the opportunity to participate.
“The organisers did an excellent job running the event and we are thankful for the chance to compete and grow as a team,” he added.
This marks the West Coast Drifters’ second appearance in the Fiji Bitter Sevens series, following their participation in the Mataso Sevens last week.
While their Yalovata campaign ended prematurely, the team remains committed to improving and building on the lessons learned.
