Travelling to Samoa for 77 hours by boat from Tuvalu did not deter  the Fijian 7s coach Elenoa Kunatuba who will guide the Tuvalu 7s team at the 2019 Pacific Games.

Despite being told to travel to Samoa by plane, Kunatuba refused as she wants to be with her team.

It was rough sail for the Nadroga native.

“The Tuvalu Olympic Committee and Tuvalu Rugby Union told me to travel by plane but I refused.

“I told them that I will only travel on air if my team is coming with me.

“So we all travelled in the boat for 77 hours, I was having sea sick, vomiting and was not eating well but I was determined to get to Samoa and guide my team,” Kunatuba said.

The former Fijiana 7s head coach continues to search for talents as she focuses on developing rugby 7s in Tuvalu.

“This is a great opportunity bringing the Tuvalu team to the Pacific Games. I always try my best for the team to produce positive results.

“We had strict selection processes this year as we built on from the Oceania 7s last year.

“We worked on our weaknesses and build on for this Pacific Games,” Kunatuba said.

“We’ve very good players who enjoy playing 7s rugby.”

For the men’s competition, teams are placed in two pools of five teams. Within each pool, all teams play each other.

Following the completion of pool round, knockout rounds will be played.

The top teams in each pool proceed to the gold medal match. The 2nd ranked teams in each pool proceed to the bronze medal match.

Tuvalu are in Pool B alongside hosts Samoa, Tonga and Solomon Islands.

Fiji top Pool A alongside Cook Islands, New Caledonia, Nauru and Wallis and Futuna.

FIJIAN TOUCH

Fijians Veremi Rokovucago and Belasio Koroiadi are excited to be participating in their first Pacific Games representing American Samoa.

They are among the five Fijians in the American Samoa rugby 7s team.

Koroiadi said it would be interesting to battle against his fellow countrymen.

Edited by Osea Bola

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