Let’s hope the Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s team finds a way out to end the downward spiral in the World Rugby Women’s Sevens Series.

Winless in three pool games at the Kitakyushu Sevens in Japan on Saturday, the Saiasi Fuli–coached side was relegated to play in yet another lower rung of the competition yesterday.

We can’t afford the current trend to become the norm because we know the capabilities of our players.

While other teams continue to excel on the circuit, it seems we are at sixes and sevens, confused as we hit the dead end now and again.

The Fiji Rugby Union and the management have put in more effort in preparation.

But it seems we are heading in the wrong direction because we are not reaping the benefits of our toil.

It seems we are minnows compared to the rest when in fact some of players are more experienced than others playing on the circuit.

In fact, some of the players have been with the team for the past five years. With so much effort put in, limited progress has been made.

It seems we are just making the numbers with no inkling of producing maximum outcomes.

Our women took part at the 2016 Rio Olympics and achieved similar outcomes.

We’ve never beaten Olympic champion Australia and Women Sevens Series champs New Zealand.

But astonishingly both trans tasman neighbours were eliminated in the Cup quarter finals in Kitakyushu yesterday. Not once but twice.

This clearly shows that other teams have put in the effort to buck the trend and end dominance by putting proper plans in place, while Fiji has lagged behind.

New Zealand lost 9-29 to France in pool play and was then eliminated by the United States 26-19 in the Cup quarterfinal.

Australia lost 14-17 to Canada in pool play and was eliminated 7-21 by England in the Cup quarterfinal.

This is the way forward and our Fijiana must treat defeat as a learning experience and bounce back as better players, if they are to progress.

Unfortunately, this has not been happening in the past years and losing is becoming a norm.

We need to build a winning culture in our Fijiana, which will allow the players and coaching staff to deliver the desired outcomes.

We can’t afford to sink further. The team beat Japan 28-17 in the Challenge Trophy semi-final and was to play Spain in the final.

But our Fijiana must find a way out and start playing in the Cup end of the competition. They have been in the lower end of the competition for far too long.

It’s time our women make an impression and show pride flying the Fijian flag.

Feedback: oseab@fijisun.com.fj