Many rugby-mad Flying Fijians supporters are probably still in a state of shock after their team’s failure to make the knock-out stage of World Sevens tournament held in Wellington on February 1.
Not once in the previous 112 competitions had a Fijian side failed to make it out of the group stage.
After coming so close to being world champions last season, Fijians began this season in fine form, winning the Gold Coast Sevens in Australia, but a much-changed line-up did not fare well in Dubai or South Africa, and then came the disaster in Wellington.
Fiji lost 14-12 and 21-12 to Scotland and Australia respectively in their pool play, and was to be relegated to the bowl competition for the first time in the series history.
Dismal performance
A country that won two sevens World Cup titles and finished in the top four at every sevens World Series since its inception in 1999-2000, won just one game at the Wellington tournament.
Fiji defeated Portugal 24-7 in the final pool match to book a bowl quarterfinal spot, but eventually lost to Canada in final by 28-19
Fijians’ failure was not the only upset of the sport’s heavyweights on the first day of the fourth leg of the series.
The US drew with England 12-12 in pool A with a last-minute converted try before they pushed series leaders New Zealand all the way. The All Blacks Sevens eventually won 17-10 and will play Australia in a cup quarterfinal.
Kenya, which produced an occasional upset during the series throughout the years, also went through pool B unbeaten while heavily favoured France, who had been second on the series standings before Wellington, finished third in the pool.
Fiji was drawn in a tough pool at the HSBC Sevens World Series tournament in Las Vegas Sevens, which will be followed by the Hong Kong leg from 22 to 24 March 2013.
Pool matches
Fiji will face Wellington champions England, Portugal and Scotland in Pool A. Wellington runner-up Kenya faces South Africa, Canada and regional qualifiers Uruguay in Pool B whilst. New Zealand will head Pool C, which consists of Argentina, France and world champions Wales.
The host (USA) squares it up with Samoa, Spain and the impressive Australians in Pool D.
New Zealand still tops the International Rugby Board series points table with 77, followed by Kenya with 56, Samoa with 54 and Fiji sharing the fourth spot with France on 51 points .
Fiji plays England in its opening game before playing Scotland and Portugal in its final two matches. The Flying Fijians team is captained by Setefano Cakau and Joji Baleviani Raqamate is the top point scorer of the series on 156 points.
Sheevas Dayal was our Reporter and Photographer at the Hertz Sevens matches held in Wellington last month. He is seen here with All Blacks Seven’s Head Coach Gordon Tietjens. The other picture shows the Fiji team on attack. See another story in this Section.
