Fiji and New Zealand Feel Pressure From Minnows
“So, for the traditional super strengths of Fiji and New Zealand, they are under pressure now because anybody can beat anybody and that’s great for the game.”
Monday 22 January 2024 | 02:05
United States of America (USA) sevens head coach Mike Friday at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka on January 20, 2024. Photo: Leon Lord
Fiji and New Zealand are now under pressure with sevens minnows giving the two giants a run for their money.
United States of America (USA) sevens head coach Mike Friday did not mince his words on Saturday at Lawaqa Park when he said, “Dominant teams Fiji and New Zealand are under pressure now.”
“Being there for the HSBC series, any team can win on any given Sunday,” Friday said.
“So, for the traditional super strengths of Fiji and New Zealand, they are under pressure now because anybody can beat anybody and that’s great for the game.”
Friday added that the HSBC sevens series standing now with the Olympics in July was a great way to gauge team’s performances.
The former English player was in the country over the weekend for the 2024 McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens.
Paid Advertisement | January 2024
He also heads to Perth 7s where he has a lot of anticipation this weekend for his team.
‘Ultimately, with the changing structure, it’s not necessarily about winning every tournament,” he said.
“It’s about making sure you’re in that final tournament in Madrid. When ultimately whoever wins that final game will be crowned the World Series champions so slightly different, different event, different structure but all to play for. The Madrid leg it’s going to be tough. It’s brutal.”
Friday who was the assistant coach for England from 2001-2006, Kenya coach 2012-13 and has been US coach since 2014 knows how Fijians play.
He had accompanied the USA Falcons to Lawaqa, Sigatoka.
“It’s alive. It’s buzzing. It’s busy. Fanatical. It’s been an interesting trip for our young men, obviously a big learning curve, and the hardest place to come and play 7s,” he added.
“It is in Fiji that’s where you get the most valuable lessons but what a fabulous event here. The village teams here they play in the Fijian way. They are together in harmony. They play elegant dancers. They just seem to know what each other are going to do.
He adds it’s a different way of playing sevens and he needs to get better at understanding it.
“So, coming here to the islands, encroaching or being amongst great players has been a valuable lesson.
“Resources that have embarked on the biggest resources in the world is rugby sevens players and Fiji has just loads of them. They’re very, very lucky. And it’s been a fantastic competition and the people, and their supporters have just been an absolute pleasure to be around.”
Feedback: waisean@fijisun.com.fj
