A CLASH with defending champions New Zealand headlines Fiji’s challenge at the Dubai 7s on November 28–29, with the Fiji Airways Fiji men’s 7s side also drawn against Spain and France in Pool B.
Head coach Osea Kolinisau’s men will have little room for error against a competitive pool as they prepare for the opening tournament of the new HSBC SVNS season.
Pool A features South Africa, Australia, Argentina and the United States.
Fiji head into the tournament with lessons from their recent outing at the inaugural Kick On 7s in Sydney, where they faced Australia three times on October 16–17.
The side opened with a 10–0 victory before Australia responded with a 24–14 win. Their final encounter ended in a 19–19 draw.
While the results offered a mixed return, the matches gave Kolinisau an opportunity to assess his players against international opposition ahead of the Dubai challenge.
The Fiji coach emphasised the importance of making the right choices under pressure, saying decision-making “determines the outcome of the game”.
That message will be particularly important against New Zealand, Spain and France, where Fiji will need to be sharp in possession and disciplined when opportunities arise.
Meanwhile, the Fijiana side has also been handed a challenging assignment in the women’s competition.
Fiji is drawn in Pool B alongside New Zealand, Canada and Japan, setting up a demanding campaign for the national side.
Pool A features Australia, the United States, France and Spain.
Both Fiji teams will be aiming to make a strong impression in Dubai as the new season gets underway, with the tournament providing an early test against international opposition.
The Dubai tournament will be followed by the Cape Town 7s on December 5–6, leaving teams just one week between the opening two rounds of the series.
For Fiji, the focus now turns to turning the lessons from Sydney into performances that can carry them through a demanding opening weekend.
