The bigger nations might be calling in the big guns, but Fiji are still the team to beat.
It’s an Olympic year, but while the rest of the world has been drafting in huge names from the 15-man game, the Pacific Islanders remain the masters of the code.
Reigning World Sevens Series champions Fiji once again showed why they should be the gold medal favourites for Rio by claiming victory in the Las Vegas leg of this season’s competition yesterday.
Bryan Habana and Quade Cooper made their Sevens debuts for South Africa and Australia in the US, but it was Fiji who came out on top, thanks to some blistering tries in the knockout stages.
They overcame the hosts in the semis, 21-14, thanks to this display of superb handling – check out the no-look inside pass – that led to a try for Pio Tuwai.
Fiji faced Australia in the final and came from 15-0 down to beat Cooper and company, the winning try coming when the fly-half spilled the ball near the Fijian line and they ran it back from under their own posts. Savenaca Rawaca took it the length of the field to secure a 21-15 triumph.
We can’t wait to see these boys in Brazil.
