Two familiar faces are back in the Fiji sevens team for the penultimate leg of the World Series in London this weekend.
Semi Radradra originally debuted for Fiji at the 2011 Dubai Sevens. Photo: AFP
Former rugby league star Semi Radradra will make his first appearance on the sevens circuit in almost seven years, while his Toulon team mate Josua Tuisova last featured at the Rio Olympics.
Semi Radradra debuted at the 2011 Dubai Sevens before switching to rugby league, where he starred for the Parramatta Eels, Fiji Bati and Australia.
Fiji sevens coach Gareth Baber said after an impressive season in the French Top 14, he's had his eye on the 25 year-old for a while.
"Obviously he was named in our Commonwealth Games squad when we originally did it....but I was obviously conscious of the fact that he was contracted at Toulon. He's now moving to Bordeaux for a good chunk of money and yeah he's certainly somebody I would look at for the World Cup," he said.
"He's been quality not only in the sevens shirt for Fiji but in an NRL shirt and latterly in a rugby union shirt and I think it's good for Fiji that he would feature for the Flying Fijians and moving forward to have people like himself and Josua (Tuisova) and Leone Nakarawa, who are playing over in France, coming back to play for the Flying Fijians I think is good for the country."
Fiji's Josua Tuisova is tackled during the men's rugby sevens final at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
Fiji are four points clear of defending champions South Africa in the competition standings, after winning four of the past four tournaments, including three straight in Vancouver, Hong Kong and Singapore.
This time last year Fiji were out of title contention and limped to seventh and ninth placed finishes in London and Paris but Gareth Baber expects his players to be at their best this weekend.
"For the likes of ourselves and South Africa there's still very much a lot to play for in terms of the World Series finish itself but...the potential of the World Cup brings a new energy to the end of the season for many teams who are looking to perform or get people in and get them performing and get some rhythm in the game going into the World Cup," he said.
"I think this time last year South Africa had pretty much won the series anyway."
Fiji celebrate beating Australia in the Singapore Sevens final. Photo: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby
Fiji will face Argentina, Scotland and New Zealand in pool play at Twickenham, while a Samoa team without suspended captain Alatasi Tupou, have been drawn alongside Canada, Russia and South Africa.
The team captains pose ahead of the London 7s. Photo: Mike Lee - KLC fotos for World Rugby
