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Fiji Times - Friday, May 23, 2008 8:07 AM

THE Flying Fijians management has warned players they will not entertain excess "baggage" in their bid to build on from the 2007 Rugby World Cup success.

Coach Ilivasi Tabua and his advisors will use the inspired performances from France to motivate players with the objective that only the best will make the cut for the Pacific Nations Cup competition.

Forwards technical advisor Joe Barakat said the main focus was to take cue from the RWC and move further into becoming one of the "powerful rugby nations" in the world.

Tabua recalled 12 of his forwards from last year's world cup campaign with new players - Mosese Fatiaki, Aminiasi Nava, Setefano Somoca, Samuela Anise and Aca Bibi bracketed.

He said only players capable of achieving the goal would get the nod.

"At this point, the enthusiasm is always high because everybody wants to make the first 22," Barakat said.

"At the end of the day, it's the people who are good enough that will make the 22 because we don't want to carry people around for baggage.

"Because really, building on their world cup success has got to be paramount and important.

"We just cannot say 'that was great' and then go back to the way we used to play.

"I think my job is to make sure that Fiji continues to head in the right direction and that's to be one of the most powerful rugby nations in the world."

Barakat spent time with the forward pack yesterday as he worked on improving the set pieces which include the scrums, lineouts and restarts.

While he has been impressed with the strike power of the backline, his major concern is getting the forwards in line.

"I think it (set pieces) is an area that has been a weakness in Fijian rugby for a long time," Barakat said.

"I know Gregg Mumm at the last world cup had done a lot of work in getting the players in good shape, especially with their scrummaging and I want to continue to progress that.

"The players know their way to the tryline and our job is to make sure they get quality ball to score good tries against their opponents.

"Fiji played well at the world cup and I've challenged the boys on how much further we think they can go and if they fix up their set piece." "If set pieces are not their Achilles heels and they give their back good ball to attack off, then there's no stopping them. We question how far this group can go."

Barakat has brought in the coaching methods used by the Waratahs and hopes it can rub off to the Flying Fijians.

"We spoke about being efficient and when it comes to set pieces, it's not efficient," he said.

"They do a lot of things and are exhausting a lot of energy. When it comes to set pieces, they have to be efficient enough to utilise minimal amounts of energy so that that energy can be used elsewhere when needed."

Fiji will kick-off its PNC schedule against Samoa on June 7 and then the New Zealand Maori in Lautoka.

Following that Fiji will be on the road facing Japan on June 21 in Osaka, then fly to play Australia A on June 28 and meet Tonga in the final match on July 5 in Nuku'alofa.