Overseas assistants added as Fiji 7s coach admits off-field issues have hurt the team
Fiji Sevens coach Gareth Baber has admitted recent disciplinary problems have made his job tougher as he prepares the Olympic champions for the Las Vegas and Vancouver legs of the HSBS World Sevens Series and made it clear the players need to take responsibility for their behaviour away from the squad.
In a bid to help Baber, the Fiji Rugby Union have, according to the Fiji Sun, given him two overseas assistant coaches, as yet unnamed, who are currently working with a squad that has been shaped by recent off incidents including the arrest for alleged drink driving of captain as Kalioni Nasoko.
This blow came on top of the negative publicity for the squad created by Amenoni Nasilasila, who is due to appear in court for allegedly raping a 24-year-old woman last year while the FRU dropped Olympic Gold medal winner and key playmaker Vatemo Ravovou from the Hamilton and Sydney legs of the series for disciplinary reasons.
Baber said: “Players conduct off the field does affect me as a coach. As in society they have this ambassadorial role . This is very vital because any kid looks up to them as role models. However, people do make mistakes as we are all humans.
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"But, we help develop the players not only in rugby but as human beings by becoming a respected member of society. We have been addressing that. Obviously, we have our methods of disciplining within the group but when they are away rom me they need to do a job for themselves and be kept occupied as well.”
Away from the disciplinary problems, Baber and his two new assistants have been working with a squad that is free from injury and desperate to recapture the form that brought back-to-back wins in the Cape Town and Hamilton legs. The are currently third behind New Zealand and the USA and Baber added: “Having (the coaches) on board is great as we want to put pressure and scrutiny on the players. It is always important to have other people around me and challenge my views on how we play and do things.
“Having people you trust on the field will definitely help in achieving what we want to produce and ethics as well.
“We had a few injuries in Sydney but fortunately after coming back to Fiji we have assessed those injuries and ad it’s all cleared. All the players are now back in camp.”
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In the fine tradition of Irish rugby, Leinster cheat well and for some reason only known to whoever referees them, they are allowed to get away with it every single game. If teams have not got the physicality up front to stop them getting the ball, they will win every single game. They take out players beyond the ruck and often hold them on the ground. Those that are beyond the ruck and therefore offside, hover there to cause distraction but also to join the next ruck from the side thereby stopping the jackal. The lineout prior to the second try on Saturday. 3 Leinster players left the lineout before the ball was thrown and were driving the maul as soon as the player hit the ground and thereby getting that valuable momentum. They scrummage illegally, with the looshead turning in to stop the opposing tighthead from pushing straight and making it uncomfortable for the hooker. The tighthead takes a step and tries to get his opposite loosehead to drop the bind. Flankers often ‘move up’ and actually bind on the prop and not remain bound to the second row. It does cause chaos and is done quickly and efficiently so that referees are blinded by the illegal tactics. I am surprised opposition coaches when they meet referees before games don’t mention it. I am also surprised that they do not go to the referees group and ask them to look at the tactics used and referee them properly. If they are the better team and win, fair play but a lot of their momentum is gained illegally and therefore it is not a level playing field.
Go to commentsI’d be fascinated to see what other candidates you all might have for the Lions captaincy role. Let me know, below 👍
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