The Telecom Fijiana team will find the next leg of the Womens Sevens Series in Atlanta tough as Australia will be looking to win their third tournament.

The Aussies have previously won the first leg in Dubai in December and the second leg in Sao Paulo in February.

With the aim of the Fijiana team to improve on their last performance and take it a step up Women’s Rugby coaching director Chris Cracknell said their pool will not be easy to come out of.

“As always our goal is to improve on our last performance. We did this in São Paulo and I expect nothing less from the girls over the two weeks but to strive and improve each time we hit the pitch,” Cracknell said.

“There’s no easy pool, again we face Australia we ran them close in São Paulo twice and England will want to right the wrongs of us defeating them.

“Colombia is an unknown commodity and we face them first so it will be an unfamiliar test. That said with all three games it’s about us imposing ourselves on the game, controlling it and playing our way.”

Fiji is in Pool A with Australia, England and Colombia.

Telecom Fijiana play Colombia in their first game tomorrow at 5:36pm, then plays England at 8:20pm and face Australia in their last pool match at 10:42pm.

Meanwhile, there are currently seven changes to the Australian side with winger Ellia Green missing out this time due to an injury.

Captain Shannon Parry said though they have a tough pool, they will be out to test the squad’s ability to continue the momentum from two successful legs.

“Obviously we’re looking to test the depth of our squad, and being able to back it up two weeks in a row is going to be tough,” Parry said.

“Everyone is pushing out new players and we’re doing the same, but we’re just looking forward to getting a good start here in Atlanta.

“We have a tough pool with England, Fiji and Colombia, who are a bit of an unknown for us, so we just want to cement the spot on day one and focus on the quarterfinals if they come around.

“Ellia Green has been ruled out but we’ve brought in some players who’ve been working hard at home, so it will be interesting to see how they go.”

Edited by Anasilini Ratuva

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