[Source: Fiji Rugby/Facebook]
Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s coach Richard Walker says the squad is heading into this weekend’s HSBC SVNS opener in Dubai with confidence and a clean bill of health — a major boost as Fiji targets a powerful start to the new season.
Walker confirmed the team has no major injury concerns, with only minor niggles being monitored as players fine-tune their readiness for the world stage.
“No injuries so far, which is a good thing. We’ve got some minor injuries we’re looking after, but we were aware of those before we came away. Most of the girls are 99 to 100 per cent.”
But the real source of Walker’s optimism is the fierce competition in camp over the past few months, driven by the return of senior stars and the development of newer players.
“We’ve had a couple of good camps — the competition has been really high. It’s good to have players like Vani come back in and push the rest of the squad, Reapi come back in and lift the intensity. And the girls who’ve been in the squad already have lifted their game as well.”
[Source: Fiji Rugby/Facebook]
Walker believes the squad now carries the right balance across all areas, with depth that allows Fiji to change shape, tempo and style depending on the opposition — a crucial weapon in the rapidly shifting landscape of sevens rugby.
“We have a really good squad and a good balance across the board, defensively and in attack. In sevens you have to constantly change what you’re doing because teams switch on really quickly. Our players all offer something different, but they’re also comfortable playing within our structure.”
With versatility across the roster and confidence high, Walker says the Fijiana are ready to unleash in Dubai.
They will meet USA in their first match this Saturday at 7.20pm.