The devastation caused by Cyclone Winston has weighed heavy on the minds of the Fiji sevens team as they prepare for this weekend's tournament in Las Vegas.
The US Ambassador in Suva, Judith Cefkin, wishes the Fiji sevens team luck ahead of the Las Vegas tournament. Photo: Facebook / US Embassy Suva
The defending World Series champions, who lead the current standings after four rounds, took time out of their training schedule over the past 10 days to help with the clean-up and recovery in Fiji and assisted with fundraising.
Team Manager Ropate Kauvesi said the cyclone had been the main topic of conversation among the squad, with many Fijians sleeping outside with no food and just the clothes on their backs.
"It has affected some of the boys as well, personally, in terms of their homes losing corrugated iron roofing and then having to do as much as they can at home before coming out to training camp.
"Their families do appreciate what they do, knowing that they have to train, and with them carrying Fiji's hope on their shoulders, they allow their sons, husbands to come to training while they try and sort things out at home.
"So we managed to get into camp and get things started but bearing in mind what's happening around us."
Mr Kauvesi said the Fiji squad wanted to put smiles back of the face of Fijian fans with a good performance this weekend.
Fiji celebrate winning the 2015 Las Vegas Sevens. Photo: World Rugby / Martin Seras Lima
