Fiji coach reveals what's next for Nasoko after Edinburgh deal falls through
Former captain Kalione Nasoko will undergo knee surgery in Australia to ensure he can help Fiji defend their Olympic Sevens gold medal in Japan next year as part of head coach Gareth Baber’s HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series title winning squad.
Nasoko suffered the knee injury during the successful World Series campaign and medical tests in Scotland revealed the extent of the ACL damage, forcing Edinburgh to shelve plans to add the explosive wing to their Pro14 squad.
Nasoko was sent home to sort out the injury and Baber has confirmed to RugbyPass the operation will take place in Australia and then his former captain will start the rehabilitation process to ensure his skills can be added to an already powerful squad featuring a number of new faces, including Meli Derenalagi, the Rookie of the Year and Vilimoni Botitu the DHL Impact Player.
Baber said: “There is a desire and demand for another gold medal in Fiji and I have felt that very strongly from the moment I took on the job. It was understood that I had to emulate what had been achieved before me and 12 months out from the 2020 Games we are in a good place.
“Kali failed a medical and has returned to our care and will have an operation in Australia in the next week or so and I very much see the door being open for him to rehab and be in a position to be in the squad. He has shown his pedigree in the way he has led the team and performed and while I am sad it has hasn’t worked out for him at Edinburgh, we could be getting back early next year one of the best sevens players in the World. That is a massive boost for us and we are going to pray for his rehab.”
Baber and his victorious squad will arrive at Nadi International Airport on Wednesday from Paris, where Prime Minister Voreqe Bainimarama will welcome them at the traditional ceremony at Nawaka Village in Nadi. Numerous other villages are asking to stage events to recognise the achievements of the team and local players in the squad while Baber also has a family party at the end of the week in Fiji to mark his daughter’s 18th birthday.
Baber acknowledges the need to enjoy this week and then start to prepare for the defence of title next year and, most importantly, retaining the Olympic Games gold medal in Tokyo. The head coach is being lauded in Fiji for winning a fourth World title after five tournament wins this season and the success will silence his critics who had questioned the team’s playing style during a season of injury set-backs and off-the-field problems.
Baber revealed the Fiji squad and management have been working with a mental skills coach to help deal with the pressure and expectation and said: “Every coach has to deal with different things during the year and some of them could have been disruptive but we have employed a mental skills coach to develop a robustness and resilience to be able to surmount issues. It’s about not letting those become a problem and for me, some of the obstacles I have dealt with have taught me a lot and as a group we have learnt how to stay focused.
“Players are human beings and there is going to be some scepticism and we have talked as a group about being open to change. I have been pleased with the players response, as we saw in the London and Paris legs, where we needed to kill off tournaments.
“Twelve months ago in Paris we were in a similar position to win the title and didn’t do it and in those intervening months we have got it right in terms of self-awareness and understanding of performance. What surprised me about the young players who came into the squad wasn’t the talent they had, it was the consistency they showed over a long period of time. As young men you are prone to dips in form and distractions but they stood up.
“There were will be distractions over the next year and I know what to look for and agents are, all year, looking at our players and it can be a factor. However, the players will get increased contracts from the Union in an Olympic year to try and take some of the that pressure off. You would hope some clubs would honour a contract that kicked in after the Olympics and it is something we are looking at, but money talks.”
Comments on RugbyPass
A Turtle has more pace and leg drive than Owen Franks, so it’s a good thing he only had to run 90 metres for that try.
2 Go to commentsOh Tamati Tua was in the vastly over-rated Leon MacDonalds Blues system? Well, no wonder he was wasted, much like Emoni Narawa and Jacob Ratumaitavuki-Kneepkens under MacDonald. now look at them. Good thing Tua isn’t eligible, the Aussies latch on to any player who isn’t tied down.
2 Go to commentsMark Telea is a lot of things, but a defensive juggernaut has never been one of them. There will be far bigger tests in that regard for the youngster.
10 Go to commentsLove and respect to Fiji but not a chance outside of 7s
4 Go to commentsGood summation Ned. Agree the Canes were out-muscled for once (except at the scrum!) by a focused Brumbies outfit. Tua deserves consideration for higher honors after the way he humbled Jordie and the Canes defense. Thankfully, his lack of eligibility for Oz keeps him from Joe’s plans. While I also agree the injuries affected the Canes performance, some players seemed to lack focus and intensity for this match. Perhaps after the Blues demolished the Brumbies, they thought it was going to be easy? A good reminder that any slip up in preparation can have a big affect on the result. Brumbies deserved that win.
2 Go to commentsKarl Dixon should never have been appointed this fixture, absolute disgrace, He’s not much of a referee anyway, didn't have the balls to send his mate care off
5 Go to commentsBrilliant article! Harry of 8/9
2 Go to comments‘UK athletes' have been in the NFL from the start.
1 Go to commentsIt’s going to be Scott Barrett. He’s the coaches mate and captain of a previously elite team. Ardie a great option but scooter has worked with the coach and Ardie still as big a leader as needed.
23 Go to commentsI commend Colin Scotts bio All Balls. He was the first Aussie to make it to NFL. But he was poached and did a full apprenticeship at the University of Hawaii. He was 130kgs surfed played 1st grade cricket etc. big guy by normal but not NFL standards and a top athlete. Even then the nfl were picking up Tongans and Samoans for their natural size and explosive power. They want explosive power not cardio from the big boys so a guy like Taniela Tupou would have been good if picked up young enough. He has fast twitch and they’d bulk the little lad up and give him something to do. soccer teams set up academies and look for Over Sara’s talent eg Messi was at Barcelona since a teenager and harry kewell went to Leeds as a teenager like 16 or something.
11 Go to commentsThe article alludes to the fact that this isn’t about picking a captain. But picking a great captain. So who would make for a great All Black captain - not just an obvious or safe shoo-in? I’m not sure Ardie’s the guy and Barret doesn’t stand out either.
23 Go to commentsI guess we may all agree on the fact, that the ABs and Boks are the two in contest for No 1 in rugby history (the triple-A sort of) …. the Wallabies, England and France are the next tier, with Ireland being the new kid in town (AA) …. in my view it makes little sense creating imaginary competitions (unless you have too much time to waste)
45 Go to commentsWhat a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
5 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
45 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
42 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
42 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
42 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
45 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
5 Go to comments