Savou turns to experience

Fiji Times - Monday, December 10, 2007 7:53 AM

CHANGES will be made to the Fiji sevens rugby team after the side failed to beat New Zealand in a final for the second consecutive week.

Like in Dubai, ill discipline cost the Digicel Fiji side dearly as New Zealand raced away to a 34-7 win to retain the South Africa Sevens title in George.

Fiji had Emosi Vucago and Setefano Cakau sin-binned in a match which New Zealand controlled from start to finish.

Coach Josateki Savou said reinforcements would be called in for the Wellington and San Diego tournaments as he maps a plan to dethrone New Zealand.

Players like Semisi Naevo, William Ryder and Lepani Nabuliwaqa are expected to get a call up.

"We'll have to go back and reshuffle players," Savou said.

"We might bring in players who are playing overseas like Semisi and Ryder.

"But I'm happy that we've reached the finals of the two tournaments."

With two wins in the bag, New Zealand has raked in 40 points. Fiji are eight points behind followed by South Africa on 24 and Argentina on 20.

Savou said despite the loss, he was happy his players, seven of them new to the series. "I thank New Zealand for a good game. Seven of our players were new members to the side and to make two finals in two weeks, I'm quite pleased with their performance," Savou said.

"Last season we only managed to reach the semi-finals in Dubai and George.

"This is a great start for us and we've got more tournaments to come.We're looking at closing the gap with New Zealand at the Wellington and San Diego tournaments." New Zealand coach Gordon Tietjens said Fiji was always a hard team to beat. "We put them under a lot of defensive pressure and it worked. I think our defence worked well. I've got a very fit side and that basically wins you tournaments," Tietjens said.

"But again, Fiji are always a tough team to put the sword to and it was always going to be tough against them.

"I knew it would be and hence I'm very happy with the way we performed against a good Fiji team." The national team arrives at the Nadi International Airport tomorrow at 6.45pm. The Wellington Sevens will be held over February 1-2.