The Curse on Fiji Rugby

As with many of you, I also had a disappointing weekend. Fiji looked a distant image of their former glorious self. Their game was so horrible, that I felt Kenya would have given NZ a better run for its money in the quarters.

Their whole game play was weak at its best. Too used to playing touch, I cannot recall a single moment where Fiji took "man and ball" to ground. And the set-pieces...if there were any! Seriously it was a disappointing performance. Added salt to the wounds was the fantastic play by NZ. After a while I was too "wowed" by them to see Fiji crumbling (if they every were solid).

But what does anger me is even with all the horrible performance characteristics shown by Fiji, other teams still count Fiji as a threat (effectively putting them on top of a banana tree). Savou's cheeks go rosy everytime the commentators say "never count out Fiji". This makes him utter silly comments like:

Savou: "We just could not get it right from the start and we failed to find our feet"... [1] Reply: You never had you feet on the ground. All your games were horrible.

Image 1: Vito manhandles Fiji [2]

Savou: "New Zealand was the better team on the day and we congratulate them for a fine performance"[1]
Reply: They have been the better team 7 tournaments in a row. I think there is no need to congratulate. They get the message.

Savou: "I'm still willing to coach..."[1]
Reply: No comments.

All this disappointed... all the anger... everytime Fiji falls it hurts. But whats worse is nobody has the vision to pick up rugby in Fiji and move us atleast one step ahead.... except this one guy. We all know him.

One question to Savou: Why is Fiji's lineout still a problem? Did you not have practice on this issue? What did you do? (Ok i realise that these are more than "one question"). Did you just pick up players from Marist 7's, give them the ball and tell them to PLAY?

*edit for 1st April

No curse[1]

IT does not need a genius coach to figure that our sevens team does not know how to throw the ball in the line-out, feed the scrum, secure kick-offs, engage in support play etc. Forget about beating the Kiwis. Now I am sitting on the edge of my seat when Fiji plays Kenya and Wales. There is no curse on the sevens team. Josateki Savou just doesn't know how to coach. It's time for him to go. Hats off to Gordon Tietjens.

Umesh Nand
Nakasi

I like how this guy has put things "as-a-matter-of-factly".

References:
[1] Extracted from The Fiji times, Fiji loses plot - Savou: We failed to find our feet. [link]
[2] Image from Fiji Times