'A big boost': Fiji Sevens co-captain backs potential home World Sevens Series tournament
The prospect of hosting a Sevens World Series tournament in Fiji would be “a big boost” to the national sevens side and the country as a whole, according to rising Flying Fijians star Meli Derenalagi.
Despite Fiji’s status as a global hotbed for rugby sevens, the nation is still yet to hold a World Series event, but reports from New Zealand media earlier this year suggested that could be set to change in the coming years.
Speaking at the Hamilton Sevens in January, New Zealand Rugby chief rugby officer Nigel Cass confirmed that the Kiwi leg of the world circuit would not be held in Hamilton next year, and that Fiji had instead been considered an option as an alternative host.
Early suggestions indicated that Fiji and Hamilton would host the New Zealand leg of the series in alternate years, but Cass said the Pacific nation didn’t have the infrastructure to hold a tournament as soon as 2021.
While the event will stay in New Zealand for the next two years, Cass refused to rule out Fiji as a potential host in 2023.
“We were really hopeful of getting a tournament in Fiji in 2021,” he said. “There’s a hell of a lot of infrastructure for a tournament of this type and, for next year, it’s just not going to be possible.
“We’re not giving up though. We’re really keen, as are the Fijians, to take a tournament to Fiji and we remain really hopeful that we can do that in 2023.”
Taking a tournament to Fiji, who have been crowned World Series champions four times and are reigning Olympic gold medallists, excites Derenalagi.
He said the opportunity to play in front of his loved ones would be significant for both him and his teammates.
“It would be a big boost for our team,” Derenalagi told RugbyPass. “To play in front of our loved ones – especially our family, our kids – to show them… when [he and his teammates] are missing from home, this is what they always do around overseas, but they can show it here back at home.”
A passionate Fijian crowd would undoubtedly be eager to see Derenalagi and his teammates strut their stuff on home soil, especially if they were to replicate the form that made them 2018-19 World Series champions.
Although that was Derenalagi’s debut campaign with the national side, he proved to be a standout performer for Fiji in their run to the title – so much so that he was crowned World Rugby Sevens Series 2019 Rookie of the Year.
The youngster’s meteoric rise continued this year when, at the age of just 21, he was named co-captain alongside veteran star Jerry Tuwai ahead of this year’s Hamilton Sevens.
The Wallabies boss has called the incoming Reds star to reassure his future following reports of the Melbourne Storm's eagerness to keep him in the NRL.https://t.co/4sbW4QCBQ9
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) June 15, 2020
Together, the duo helped guide Fiji to a maiden Sydney Sevens title in February, but the coronavirus-enforced disruption to the season has left the side stranded in third spot on the overall standings with four tournaments to play.
The postponement of the Singapore and Hong Kong events from April to October leaves those tournaments as the final two of the 2019-20 season, with the London and Paris legs rescheduled to take place in September.
With 83 points to their name, Fiji trail series leaders New Zealand by 32 points heading into the last four tournaments, but Derenalagi isn’t getting ahead of himself just yet.
“For us, we’ll just take one step at a time,” he said. “We are just looking forward to getting back on track. We have to wait for this lockdown to be uplifted, and then we can start training again with the brothers, and maintain our focus again.
“[It is] quite a bit challenging for us. [We’re] in third place at the moment, with four tournaments left for us, so we are working hard to get back on track and try to put ourselves in competition to compete for first spot.”
The London, Paris, Singapore and Hong Kong events haven’t been the only major sevens tournaments to have fallen victim to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The year-long postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics has thrown a spanner in the works as Fiji prepare to defend their gold medal.
With the men’s sevens tournament now set to take place next July, Derenalagi has some time to weigh up his options beyond next year.
The lure of chasing a Sevens World Cup and Commonwealth Games gold medal the year after the Olympics could keep him in the seven-a-side game, but it would be unsurprising if he attracted interest from professional clubs abroad before then.
As always, however, Derenalagi remains firmly focused on the task at hand.
“My main focus now is on the Olympics. After the Olympics, I will make up my mind whether to move or stay put.”
2019-20 World Rugby Sevens Series events
September (Dates TBC) – London Sevens
September (Dates TBC) – Paris Sevens
10-11 October – Singapore Sevens
16-18 October – Hong Kong Sevens
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Comments on RugbyPass
Its a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend om the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside od World Cup years.
5 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
5 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
5 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to comments