26 Jan 2013

Sport: Fiji sevens team confident of a return to form

6:09 am on 26 January 2013

Fiji coach Timoci Wainiqolo expects his team to be fighting for trophies at the upcoming Wellington and Las Vegas Sevens tournaments.

Fiji started the World Series in top form by winning the Gold Coast Sevens in October but despite topping their pool group, failed to make it past the Cup quarter finals in both Dubai and Port Elizabeth.

Wainiqolo will be in charge of the team in Wellington in the absence of regular coach Alifereti Dere, who's military connections prevent him from entering New Zealand.

He says tournaments such as last week's Uprising Sevens have the team have the players primed and ready.

"We just solved the problem - the problem of the bad tournaments - and we will come back before we start again this year to another leg. There is some young boys who were playing in the Fiji Barbarians team and some of the Fiji Warriors who've got a combination that we welcome back before we left to go to Wellington."

Fiji have been drawn in the same pool as Portugal, Australia and Scotland for the Wellington tournament.