France-based Aminiasi Tuimaba and Vilimoni Botitu will not get an easy ride into the final 13-member Fiji 7s squad for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
The duo, together with England-based superstar Semi Radradra, are the three overseas-based players that Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber is targeting for the Tokyo Olympic Games selection.
Both players are in Australia and are available for the Oceania Sevens this weekend. Baber said they would have to work hard to warrant their place in the final 13-member squad for the Olympic Games.
“It has not been an easy task to bring them in,” he said.
“They had to finish their club commitments in France before we got them into quarantine. We were hugely supported by the efforts from Fiji Rugby.”
Both Botitu and Tuimaba were standout players for Fiji during the 2018-2019 World Rugby HSBC Sevens Series.
Botitu, who comes from Nawaka, was awarded the player of the final during the Cape Town 7s in 2018 and was named in the dream team for the Hamilton 7s and Singapore 7s in 2019.
Tuimaba finished the 2018/2019 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series as Fiji’s top try scorer.
Baber said both were quality players.
“The reality is with the quality of these players they were voted for the dream teams in the series. They will have to work hard to warrant their position in the team. I’m aware that people have different opinions but the reality is with the quality of the players that they are.”
The PacificAus Sports Oceania Sevens started yesterday at Townsville, Australia.
