Losing 8 players a few days before their first-ever major tournament is a big setback but it will not deter the fighting spirit of the Saqani Brothers Youth 7s team as they look to produce positive results at this year's 47th Fiji Bitter Marist 7s. The team from Cakaudrove in Vanua Levu will be looking to create upsets at this year's Marist 7s Youth division despite losing most of their key players.
Team manager, Silio Lalaqila says despite the circumstances surrounding the team, the players are fully focused on the task ahead of them.
Lalaqila says there are potential players in the team that can do the job, and he hopes the National selectors will be keeping a close watch on them as they have the capabilities of making it into the National squad.
He says this is the 5th tournament that they will be participating in and their first-ever major tournament which is going to be a great exposure and experience for the players.
He further says, he has seen how the boys have performed in the previous tournaments, and he is confident they can turn heads at the 3-day tournament.
Team captain Jonacani Cokanasiga says the players are excited as most of them are travelling to Suva and will be playing at the HFC Bank Stadium for the first time ever.
He says preparations have been coming along well and he is confident that the team will do great things in this tournament.
Cokanasiga says even though this is their first ever Marist 7s tournament and it is going to be a new environment for the boys, they will try and stick to their game plan and play to the best of their abilities.
The Marist 7s will kick off with the Youth division at 7.30 this morning, with the defending youth champions, Dominion Brothers taking on RKS Old boys.
The Women’s division will begin with Army Women facing FPTL Nasinu at 10am.
The men's division will begin tomorrow.
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