Coach Gareth Baber wants the Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team to lift their game during the Cape Town Sevens this weekend.

After reviewing last weekend’s Dubai 7s where the team failed to reach the Cup quarterfinal, Baber demands an improved performance.

Baber added although they had a disappointing performance last weekend, they plan to make amends and win all three pools games and the three finals.

“We did not react well in the last tournament and it was pretty disappointing in couple of key aspects,” Baber said.

“We didn’t create pressure by being ruthless in defence and in retaining possession during restarts.

“I’ve highlighted this to the players and they need to push again this week and need to get it right.”

Baber said they scored 17 tries in the four games they played in Dubai.

He said the challenge was to win this tournament as they are the defending champions.

“Our ability to score tries has left us and we just got to be more ruthless and get tighter in terms of our defence,” Baber added.

“We need to control the games when we haven’t got the ball.

“The positive is that we know as a team as well we’ve let ourselves down in that first tournament.

“It is all part and parcel of every game, sometimes there are disappointments and the reality is, you have to get better

“We have reviewed exactly why we were not at the level we needed to be and we have to make sure that when we go through this week we have to do everything we possibly can to do that right.”

DISCIPLINE

Baber said it is the responsibility of the players to play smart and not getting carded.

“They are not only hurting us in terms of points but also in terms of workload as well,” he added.

FIXTURES

Fiji (Men)- (Fiji time)- v USA (Saturday, 6.35am); v South Africa (Sunday, 12.51am; v Japan (Sunday, 6.35am).

Fijiana- v Russia (Saturday, 2.28am); v New Zealand (Saturday, 9.35pm); v South Africa (Sunday, 3.03am). Edited by Osea Bola

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