Sevens postponements have Fiji fearing French-based stars won't make the Olympics
Gareth Baber has admitted the loss of the Hong Kong and Singapore legs of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series due to the threat of coronavirus will make it difficult to include the French-based pair of gold medal winner Josua Tuisova (Lyon) and Semi Radradra (Bordeaux) for Fiji’s Olympic Games title defence in Tokyo (July 27-Aug 1)
The Hong Kong and Singapore sevens were due to be played in April but will now take place in October after the Games, leaving Fijian coach Baber to accept gaining release of these two world-class players from their clubs will be tougher as his squad attempt to fill the gaps in the sevens calendar by arranging smaller tournaments, involving teams such as New Zealand, Australia and Samoa.
Those countries also recognise the need to keep their players in competition mode despite the loss of two of the most important legs of the sevens series. Fiji are currently preparing to depart next Saturday for the February 29 Los Angeles leg of the series which is then followed by Vancouver on March 7. The Hong Kong and Singapore legs were then next up on the calendar.
Those high profile sevens events would have helped convince the French clubs of the importance of releasing Tuisova and Radradra, but Baber accepts whatever alternative tournaments are arranged may not help his case.
Facing just four legs of the series before the Olympic Games instead of six, Baber told RugbyPass: “It’s still possible but that window (to bring them back) is getting smaller because Hong Kong and Singapore were two of the tournaments we were targeting to bring players back.
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“When you’re speaking to European clubs, the profile of those legs and the logic of why you would do that trumps going to a mini tournament in the southern hemisphere or a camp in Japan.
“I coached in Europe and understand the pressures the clubs are under but we are preparing to move into an Olympic period and having those players with us, flying with us and bedding them in is put under the microscope at a tournament like Hong Kong. That is where you make the most gains and while it’s not impossible, that window is reduced.”
Fiji’s win at the Sydney Sevens helped deflect some of the criticism that had been aimed Baber’s way after a slow start to the defence of their World Series title. They head to Los Angeles in fifth place, 23 points behind leaders New Zealand.
“There has been criticism and I understand that,” added Baber. “The core of this team has been developed over the last two years and there are going to be times when hand grenades are rolled at you and bombs go off and you have to deal with it and move on. It makes you stronger as a group.
“We need to replicate what happened in Sydney for the remaining tournaments and training camps. I have to stay rational about it and I do understand the hysteria around it. Every team will be in the same situation after the decision to delay Hong Kong and Singapore and you have to look at ways of how to replicate those tournaments or that level of competition.
“We are looking at the logistics of arranging alternative events on the same weekends as Hong Kong and Singapore. Four or five teams are only three or four hours away from each other but there is planning, logistics and costs that have to be looked at.
‘The majority of Fiji’s players are in French rugby already and it won’t be too difficult to perform’
– @chrisjonespress sounds out Alex King on how potentially successful @fijirugby could be at @France2023 with Vern Cotter soon calling the shots https://t.co/BCEBzlhriq— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) January 30, 2020
“We are also investigating the possibility of going up to Japan to have some time in a training camp and potentially visit the sites for the Tokyo Olympic Games which is only four or five months away.
“It would get the players used to being in that environment. Ideally, that is what we would like to do and in this situation, you have to be flexible and make decisions on the run. Teams are looking at ways they can continue their development towards the Olympics.
“We also have a World Series to play in and the next leg is in Los Angeles and as a management, we have to make sure that everything stays on track.”
WATCH: RugbyPass looks at the life and times of Fijian legend Nemani Nadolo
Comments on RugbyPass
Je 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
1 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 Crusades , you can keep going.
1 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!😭😭😭 !!!
25 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
25 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.
25 Go to commentsHow is 7’s played there? I’m surprised 10 or 11 man rugby hasn’t taken off. 7 just doesn’t fit the 15s dynamics (rules n field etc) but these other versions do.
9 Go to commentsPick Swinton at your peril A liability just like JWH from the Roosters Skelton ??? went missing at RWC
14 Go to commentsLike tennis, who have a ranking system, and I believe rugby too, just measure over each period preceding a world cup event who was the longest number one and that would be it. In tennis the number one player frequently is not the grand slam winner. I love and adore the All Blacks since the days of Ian Kirkpatrick when I was a kid in SA. And still do because they are the masters of running rugby and are gentleman on and off the field - in general. And in my opinion they have been the majority of the time the best rugby team in the world.
25 Go to commentsHaving overseas possessions in 2024 is absurd. These Frenchies should have to give the New Caledonians their freedom.
21 Go to commentsBell injured his foot didn’t he? Bring Tupou in he’ll deliver when it counts. Agree mostly but I would switch in the Reds number 8 Harry Wilson for Swinton and move Rob Valentini to 6 instead. Wilson is a clever player who reads the play, you can’t outmuscle the AB’s and Springboks, if you have any chance it’s by playing clever. Same goes for Paisami, he’s a little guy who doesn’t really trouble the likes of De Allende and Jordie Barrett. I’d rather play Carter Gordon at 12 and put Michael Lynagh’s boy at 10. That way you get a BMT type goalkicker at 10 and a playmaker at 12. Anyways, just my two cents as a Bok supporter.
14 Go to commentsThanks Brett, love your articles which are alway pertinent. It’s a difficult topic trying to have a panel adjudicating consistently penalties for red card issues. Many of the mitigating reasons raised are judged subjectively, hence the different outcomes. How to take away subjective opinions?
11 Go to commentsYes Sir! Surprising, just like Fraser would also have escaped sanction if he was a few inches lower, even if it was by accident that he missed! Has there really been talk about those sanctions or is this just sensational journalism? I stopped reading, so might have missed any notations.
11 Go to comments