Perry Baker column: Fiji's Jerry Tuwai is a remarkable player
Jerry Tuwai is a truly remarkable rugby player. Every time he gets the ball something magical happens and that is why he is so important to the Fiji team that won an incredible fifth successive Cathay Pacific/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens title.
Winning one title in Hong Kong is an outstanding achievement but FIVE in a row – now that is something special because it is the biggest Sevens tournament of them all.
I love watching Jerry in action for Fiji and he is one of the best players on the circuit. I have seen Jerry step past guys when there is no space to do anything. His footwork gets him out of trouble while his ball handling is unbelievable.
Jerry is also a really tough guy who reads the game well and is a very effective sweeper for Fiji – he does it all to the delight of their amazing fans who have been featured in a special HSBC mini-film.
The mini-films are designed to showcase the growth of Sevens by profiling the sport’s incredible fans and athletes. I’m honoured to have been chosen to feature in the next HSBC film HSBC.
(Continue reading below…)
While it may sound biased, I also believe that my USA team-mate Carlin Isles is up there with Tuwai in terms of delivering those special moments and we saw in Hong Kong more examples of his blistering pace which creates match-winning tries. He got two big tries against South Africa and in Las Vegas there were key tries against New Zealand
Great players like Tuwai and Isles step up and produce the goods when it counts. Isles is the top try scorer in the Series this season with 41 and made the latest Dream Team along with Tuwai. I would love to see those two playing in the same side.
One guy on the circuit who proves that hard work can be just as effective as natural talent is Werner Kok of South Africa. He is an example of a player who gives absolutely everything.
Notice anything a little different at the Hong Kong Sevens? The new goal light technology tested out was lighting the sevens up #HK7s pic.twitter.com/MG59dvuPGU
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 11, 2019
Fiji head into the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series in Singapore just seven points behind the USA in the overall standings with three legs to go. Once again it’s going to be an incredible finish in Paris. Last year, South Africa pipped Fiji for the overall title and everyone involved with the USA squad are determined to hold onto that No1 position which we have worked so hard to achieve.
Coming into this Series our initial target was a top-four finish to ensure automatic qualification for the Sevens at the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year and we need just another quarter-final appearance to give us the necessary points to make that a reality. While that will be a fantastic achievement, our sights are firmly on being the No1 team at the end of this Series and we showed in Hong Kong that while we were short of our best, we are ready to fight for every point and ended up third.
It really doesn’t matter how you get out of the pool stages because it’s all about getting a ticket for the play-off dance and it sums up the attitude that our coach Mike Friday instils in us every day. He wants a squad of “dawgs” who are prepared to battle it out even if things are not going all our way. While I recovered from the double-break of my jaw, this period on the touchline has made me even more determined to come back fully embracing that never-say-die attitude.
If you can stay in the arm wrestle no matter what, then Friday is happy and that is how I want to be when I come back in London. I want to be a real work-horse for the team and never stop. That is why it was so good to be given the all-clear on Wednesday by my specialist to start full contact training now that my jaw has fully healed.
It was great for all the guys in the USA squad to be recognised with the team of the month award from United States Olympic Committee. Our success in the Series really has started to make an impact at home.
PREVIEW: Series leaders @USARugby are chasing @Olympics qualification with Singapore on the horizon https://t.co/kq2TyyPx2L pic.twitter.com/kyVsu1Qacb
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) April 10, 2019
Everyone loves a team ranked No1 in the world. I was talking to my step-son’s baseball coach and he was asking me all about the Sevens Series and had tuned into the Hong Kong matches. HSBC grassroots programmes are providing a platform for future generations of rugby talent and Sevens is playing a key role in the growth of the game.
During Singapore 7s week there has been a rugby clinic for girls between the age of 12-19, supported by coaches from the Singapore Rugby Union and rugby legends Huriana Manuel and Waisale Serevi, who are such inspirational figures in our sport.
We know everyone is now gunning for us as the No1 team and we have to just keep battling and putting in those big performances because the title could go all the way down to Paris.
WATCH: Jim Hamilton explore the rugby sights of Singapore
Comments on RugbyPass
Why cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
30 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
30 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
30 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to commentsThis just proves that theres always a stat and a metric to use to justify your abilities and your success. Ben did it last week by creating an imaginary competition and now you did the same to counter his argument and espouse a new yardstick for success. Why not just use the current one and lets say the Boks have won 4 world cups making them the most successful world cup team. Outside of the world cup the All Blacks are the most successful team winning countless rugby championships and dominating the rankings with high win percentages. Over the last 4 years statistically the Irish are the best having the highest win rate and also having positive records against every tier 1 side. The most successful Northern team in the game has been England with a world cup title and the most six nations titles in history. The AB’s are the most dominant team in history with the highest win rate and 3 world cups. Lets not try to reinvent the wheel. Just be honest about the actual stats and what each team has been good at doing and that will be enough to define their level of success.
30 Go to comments