The World Sevens Series returns this weekend on the Gold Coast after an off-season of major upheaval among the Pacific contenders.
Series regulars Fiji and Samoa have new coaches at the helm while Tonga have turned to an old hand.
Vinnie Wylie reports.
Fiji finished third on last year's global circuit, defending their Gold Coast title and also winning the prestigious Hong Kong Sevens. Alivereti Dere's team also finished third at the World Cup in Moscow but it wasn't enough to keep his job, with former England coach Ben Ryan appointed to a three year term. The 42 year old says he wants to put more emphasis on set piece play and plans to slowly introduce some new ideas over the coming weeks. He watched from the sidelines as Fiji finished runner-up at last week's Oceania Sevens Championship in Suva and says he's still adjusting to his new surroundings.
"BEN RYAN: It's a totally different environment to England, the boys one thing they don't do is they just never complain about anything you know so if something turns up late for them you know the kit only arrived late last night, we got into the Gold Coast at two in the morning, one of the buses got lost on the way to training all these sorts of things. The English boys probably would've been rearing up and spitting feathers, and the Fijian guys take it all in their stride, they are grateful that they're playing for their country and they just want to get onto the field and play."
Samoa also have a new coach in former Under 20s boss Viliamu Punivalu. He replaces Faamaoni Lalomilo, who was dumped after leading Samoa to a fourth place finish last season. Early signs have been promising with Samoa winning gold at last month's Pacific Mini Games in Wallis and Futuna and also winning the Oceania Sevens title, beating Fiji on both occasions. Viliamu Punivalu has brought a number of new faces into the national team but is refusing to get carried away.
VILIAMU PUNIVALU: The win last weekend is good for the boys and it's good for selection purposes but it's all over, that's finished, because it's not going to win us games if we dwell on the last weekend's results. We've always approached the last two tournaments we've won imagining it's an IRB [tournament]. Every team is difficult and we're not taking any team lightly so that's the same approach we're taking in to the games on Saturday and Sunday.
Tonga missed out on a core team place at the end of last season but have qualified for the Australia and New Zealand legs of the new World Series. Manu Vunipola is standing in for regular coach Eddie Waqa, who is waiting for the outcome of a review with the Tonga Rugby Union. The former head coach led the team to third place at last month's Pacific Mini Games in Wallis and Futuna and says the squad is better prepared after two weeks training together back in Tonga.
MANU VUNIPOLA: Most of the boys, the squad from Wallis, is coming with me and then some of the old boys [that have] been with me in the last couple of years joined the team too. The boys with Eddie I didn't pick them because I give a chance to the boys who have been with me to the [Mini] Games.
Tonga are in the same pool as World Champions New Zealand and open their tournament against Kenya. Fiji play Canada first up while Samoa will face Argentina.
