Rugby

Botitu, Tuimaba Add Spark

Certainly, it’s great to have them here because I know their quality, they deserve to be here, and they’ve earned their spot as Cotter has seen them playing
04 Nov 2021 12:49
Botitu, Tuimaba Add Spark
Aminiasi Tuimaba during a training in Madrid, Spain on November 2, 2021 Photo: Ian Muir

Olympics gold medallists Vilimoni Botitu and Aminiasi Tuimaba have the ability to spark the Vodafone Flying Fijians training squad now in Spain for their Europe tour.

Given the opportunity to make their Flying Fijians debut against Spain this Sunday they could well be on their way to pencil in their names for more international outings in future.

Both players add power and pace in the Flying Fijians team and with the game structure set by head coach Vern Cotter the duo definitely fit in.

Navilawa, Yakete, Ba native Botitu has started six times for Castres in the French Top 14 competition playing 94 per cent as inside centre and six per cent as outside centre scoring four tries this season.

Yasawa-i-rara native and Pau speedster Tuimaba has appeared seven times and played 60 per cent on the left wing and 20 per cent on the right scoring in every game.

Interim Flying Fijians head coach and their sevens coach Gareth Baber in a zoom meeting yesterday said both players need to earn their spot in the team.

“Certainly, it’s great to have them here because I know their quality, they deserve to be here, and they’ve earned their spot as Cotter has seen them play,” Baber said.

“It’s nice for me in this situation to see them make that transition from sevens to fifteens so ultimately their next job is to represent Fiji in the way they’ve done in sevens,” he said.

“It doesn’t mean that if they were with me before  we will give them the easy way in.

“It’s good to be back in their presence and helping them move to the next stages of their career.”

Feedbacksimione.haravanua@fijisun.com.fj

 

 



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