Time is not on the Fijiana 7s side as they anticipate to take part in their first Commonwealth Games in Birmingham from July 28 to August 8 this year.
Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee and chief executive officer Lorraine Mar said they were yet to receive confirmation from World Rugby about the Fijianas’ qualification.
“The men’s sevens have qualified while the Fijiana side was supposed to have taken part in the Oceania qualification tournament in Papua New Guinea last November to determine their qualification,” Mar said.
“That tournament was cancelled because of COVID,” she said.
“World rugby and the organising committee have not come back to us to inform us as how they will run the Commonwealth Games Oceania women sevens’ qualification.”
Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor said like FASANOC they are also on standby for World Rugby’s arrangement.
“World Rugby will make the final decision on the Oceania women’s rugby sevens qualification,” O’Connor said
“They (WR) will determine when and where it will take place.”
The Oceania women’s sevens tourney was first held in 2008 with Australia winning most times in 2008, 2013, 2016, 2018 and 2019. New Zealand won in 2012, 2014 and 2017 and Fiji won in 2015. There was no tournament from 2009 to 2011.
Mar says if the Fijianas get the green light then that makes sevens rugby the biggest representation in the Team Fiji contingent as they will have 26 players – that is 13 from each team not including the officials.
Meanwhile FASANOC is yet to meet with new Fiji 7s men head coach Ben Gollings to discuss the sevens sides’ travel plans.
“The Fiji sevens men’s team have a new head coach, we haven’t met him yet to discuss travel plans,” she said.
“For the Tokyo Olympics last year, they (sevens team) went to Australia first then joined (us) the Fijian contingent later in Tokyo, that might happen I don’t know.
“That is why it is important that we sit and discuss to set the plan right so that travelling and transition is smooth for the trip to Birmingham.”
The national men’s sevens won their back to back gold at the Tokyo Olympics while the Fijiana settled for bronze.
Fiji had lost the 2018 Commonwealth Games sevens finals held at the Gold Coast, Australia against New Zealand 0-14.
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https://fijisun.com.fj/2022/02/09/fijiana-7s-wait-for-green-light/
