France-based Josaia Raisuqe has joined the Fiji Airways Men’s National 7s extended squad that is preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics next month. This has been confirmed to fijivillage News by Fiji Men’s 7s manager Willie Baleinabuli from their camp in Nadi today.
Raisuqe currently ply his trade for Pro D2 club USON Nevers and is the only overseas-based player in the current extended Fiji Men’s 7s squad.
The 29-year-old made his debut for Fiji at the Hong Kong 7s in 2015 after being spotted by the then coach Ben Ryan during the Martintar 7s.
Raisuqe went on to represent Fiji at 5 tournaments in the HSBC World Rugby 7s series before he joined Top 14 side Stade Francaise in 2015.
The Lutu, Naitasiri man is now looking to make a comeback to the 7s frame and this time at the Olympics in Paris.
Baleinabuli also confirms that Swire Shipping Fijian Drua duo Iosefo Masi and Selestino Ravutaumada have also joined camp with the team now trimmed to 24 players from the previous 30 players that were in camp last week.
Baleinabuli says they will further trim down the squad to 17 players by the end of this week.
He says they will then select the final 13-member squad 2 weeks prior to the games.
The Fiji Men’s 7s side will be playing the Australian Men’s 7s team in four scrimmaging sessions beginning with two sessions this afternoon at Churchill Park in Lautoka. They will then play another two matches tomorrow. The Olympics Rugby 7s will be held from the 25th to the 31st of July 2024.
