Fiji Times writer Percy Keane was invited by the Fiji Rugby Union to offer some thoughts on a proposal to improve the standards of the national sevens team.

---

Percy Keane

In its quest to perform better on the IRB Sevens World Series the Fiji Rugby Union invited pundits and yours truly to be part of a sevens review team.

We were asked to make submissions that FRU could take on board and would implement as it sees fit.
This is a good move by FRU as it means getting a few heads together to brainstorm solutions to our sevens woes.

Let us list down some thoughts in some order of merits:

1. Natural talents

What are Fijian rugby players' natural talents? Running, ball handling and ‘reactionary’ skills (the ability to do the impossible or the unimagined).

With these in mind, the next step is to see that we use these because they are already in-built, not taught, and so we should come up with plans to use them to the full.

2. Game plan

A plan must be hatched as how the team can play a winning brand by taking into consideration the following: Talent and size.

The FRU must now seriously consider size of players when thinking about selection.There is a big change in sevens now compared to what it was like in 70s & 80s.

The game is more physical, almost like 15s, with more emphasis on committing in attack.

Size can also play a mental game. Just to see the sight of the Fijian players before a game can unsettle the opposition’s mental preparations. These players can take advantage of that by hitting hard at every tackle.
To do this in the first game shall send messages to other teams who will play against Fiji in the tournament. Hence, tackling and breaking through tackles are linked to SIZE.

Decision making on the field is one of the most important factors in winning. It must start from the captain.
The game plan can change on the field depending on how the opposition plays. Apart from the captain calling the shots, each player also must be able to see and assess a situation and react very quickly.

Hence team selection must now also consider the educational background of players. This is because in sevens everything happens so quickly and in a short duration.

Fitness and the pace of the game has gone up to a new level.

A training program must be drawn up to match this. This fitness program must first consider the sevens game as opposed to 15s and to accept the core requirements of the abbreviated game.

Endurance, speed, hard tackling, etc. Then the training program must be developed to address these areas to the full.

The late Brother Theophane told coach Pio Bosco Tikoisuva one evening that the type of training that should be applied is short sprints, with a quick turnaround.

5m and back, 10m and back, 15m and back, 20m and back. Train as you play. The emphasis is not only on the sprint but also on the turn around and because this is how the game is played.

On being tackled, get up quickly and carry on and do not take your time standing up.

3. Selection of captain

This is a very important consideration, which I am afraid had not been well thought out in the past till today. Selecting the right person to be captain plays a big part in the team's performance either way.

The first consideration must be can he command the respect of the players? The second consideration, has he got the decision making ability?

The current trend of captain selection tends to be; how good a player is he?

This, together with the other two makes a perfect captain but this minus the other two will not work.
The other important element which ties up with this is the announcement of the captain.

It should definitely not be made an hour or two before the game.

The captain must start his work during camp times and training. He must be encouraged to speak to players when opportunity arises and during team meetings. He must be allowed and encouraged to speak to the players. After all it shall be his voice the players will hear on the field.

They must get used to hearing his voice, the pressure on the field is such that they must be able to recognise his voice at an instant.

4. Team unity/bonding/discipline must be an everyday thing

For this to happen, discipline, which is considered to be fair, must be the first thing to be undertaken. Other initiatives can be thought out that will enhance team bonding etc.

5.Fiji at heart

There must be a way where selectors can detect the willingness of the players to sacrifice a lot to play for the national team not just the FRU 7s team.

They must be proud to play for their country. The rest are just rewards, like allowances, visiting other countries, media, supply of kit etc. If it is the other way around then FRU shall never have a good team that can win.

6. Local Sevens Series

In the early 2000 the Colonial sponsored Series was a tremendous help in the success of the national team. The level of competition and frequency allowed the players to really expose their talents and for selectors to select the best team.

7. Contract

My sources like me are not a great supporter of contract for players.

It will really depend on the players' reasons for wanting to play for the national team. If it is the contract, then he will not perform because he has achieved his objective.

Like I have said above this must be a reward not an incentive.

The only incentive is to play for the country.