Fiji Airways Fijian 7s coach Gareth Baber says players need to play to their usual best when the Sydney tournament of the World Sevens Series starts today.

He said the expectation of fans are for the team to perform and that’s what they intend to do.

Despite the immense pressure put on the players to perform, the team has set their targets for 2018.

Apart from winning the series, Baber also aims to win the Commonwealth Games in April and the Rugby Sevens World Cup in July.

Fiji Airways Fijian 7s forward Jasa Veremalua with the ball during training at the Leichardt Oval in Sydney, Australia on January 25, 2018. Photo: Kitione Rokomanu/Zoom Fiji
Photo: Kitione Rokomanu/ Zoom Fiji

And after replacing Ben Ryan last year, Baber needs to get the ball rolling in Sydney today.

Playing in Sydney will be like playing at home with the assured backing of Fijians support.

“Players are good, all healthy, boys eating well,” Baber said.

“And they are geared up for the tournament.”

He said the temperature in Sydney was 29 degrees Celsius and this favours them..

Baber highlighted that this could be an advantage for them as they face Samoa Russia and New Zealand in pool play.

“We have trained in high temperatures in Fiji. Some of our toughest sessions in Fiji were done in temperatures just as hot. I believe that it will be to our advantage,” Baber said.

Fiji will have a lot to prove especially to the local fans who had regularly taken to social media to vent their frustrations.

But despite the criticisms the selected few young men have carried on and pushed on to make their country proud.

Hence the external rants had failed to dampen their spirits.

The team had their final training run at the Leichardt Oval Two yesterday,

  Edited by  Osea Bola

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