Vodafone Fijian Under-20 coach, Koli Sewabu says he was disappointed with the way they finished at the 2017 World Rugby U20 Trophy Championship in Uruguay.

He made these comments when they arrived at Nadi International Airport yesterday.

However, Sewabu commended his players for standing up to the challenge.

“I think I’m proud of how they picked themselves up after every loss,” the former Flying Fijian No.8 said.  Sewabu said they didn’t have enough time to prepare.

“Our preparation for the tournament was not ideal, but we went with the aim to win.”

Sewabu said the competition was getting tougher because one out of the A team would have to go to the Junior World Cup.

One of the things they learned from the other teams, he says, was on how they had prepared.  Sewabu said there were other combined factors that led to their dismissal performance.

“The level of rugby the boys are playing and also we did not have a decent game to play before we left for the tour. The weather hasn’t been ideal for us, we were training in hot conditions and some of our  games had to be held for 15 minutes, as the boys didn’t have time to play in wet weather conditions, it was difficult for the team.”

The aim now, Sewabu says was trying to qualify for the next round in November where they face Tonga and Cook Islands. He added the boys would take a rest before a decision is made by the Fiji Rugby Union.

He also said critics on social media wouldn’t stop him from preparing the boys for the next tournament.

“They will always be critics, I don’t focus on the negatives, I always focus on what is ahead- Rome wasn’t built in a day. It takes a lot of time, effort and commitment to build the team. The more we get together will better the team, critics will always be there, if you don’t dwell on them it will make you a better person,” he added.