FIJI Blues head coach Viliame Satala plans to field the national shadow side in more local tournaments following their success at the recent Rooster Chicken Grassroots Sevens Tournament.
“We are trying to get the team to participate in more local sevens tournaments to develop these young players,” he said.
The competition provided great exposure for the team, allowing them to work on critical elements of their game.
“The boys really stepped up after that scare from Dominion. Against Army, the boys began to find their cohesion and confidence,” he said.
“Then we began working on specific aspects of their game that we wanted them to improve, such as winning back kick-offs, their communications, and their defensive structures, and the boys made some significant progress in those areas.”
Robust forward Apimeliki Nasalo was named player of the tournament.
His dominant collisions, breakdown disruptions, and attacking prowess highlighted his ability to influence outcomes, which reflects the success of this venture by Satala and his team.
Satala also commended a few other players who stepped up during the tournament.
“I’m really impressed with a few of these new players like Isaia Rugu, who’s playing prop, Esala in the backline, Douglas Daveta, and our playmaker Etuate, they played really well.”
Despite winning the tournament, Satala acknowledges much work remains in developing his young players to become battle-hardened and ready for the international series.
“Communication is an important aspect of their game they need to work on. In sevens, communication binds the team defensively and in attack, especially towards the end of the game,” he said.
“They are quite quiet boys by nature, but this is a critical skill to perfect to progress to the big stage. I’m just glad we are gradually hearing their voices more; this tournament has really helped.”
With a few more local tournaments under their belts, a few of these development players should be ready to transition to the international scene.
