THE Fiji Blues survived a scare from the Dominion Brothers winning 10-5 in their opening match of the Rooster Chicken Grassroots Sevens Tournament yesterday at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva.
Despite Dominion controlling territory and possession in the first half, they failed to convert their chances, while two errors allowed the Fiji Blues, the shadow national side, to score two tries and lead 10-0 at halftime.
Dominion fought back in the second half with an impressive individual try but couldn’t overturn the deficit as the Fiji Blues held on for the win, starting their tournament on a positive note.
Head coach Viliame Satala acknowledged the challenge of the first game but praised the experience gained.
“It was a good opportunity for the boys to sharpen their skills and to play together as a team for the first time,” he said.
Looking ahead, Satala emphasized the need to improve defence and communication, especially when the players tire late in the game.
“Our defence will hold if our communication is strong towards the end,” he added.
Dominion Brothers player Bola Joshua expressed disappointment with their performance despite dominating possession early.
“We gave away two tries due to poor execution,” he said.
However, the close loss fueled their motivation to pursue national selection, with many senior players having represented Fiji before.
Both teams are in Pool A alongside Army Red and Vuna Brothers.
