CANADIAN Fijians have mixed feelings about supporting the Fiji men’s 7s team during the Canada Sevens next weekend.
And hovering at the crossroads are 17 straight tournament losses.
A Sportsone poll conducted over the weekend reveals 50 percent believe the team hasn’t given its fans a reason to back them up in Vancouver.
While the other half feel the team may bounce back in Vancouver.
The crux for the split is ‘lack of urgency and poor performance’ and luminaries who couldn’t help the team get out of the slump.
“The narrative that Fiji will do well or pull off a surprise victory in Vancouver is a long shot, people are oblivious,” said Jacob Komaiwai
“It’s just not working out for players or the coaching staff.
“Unless the team comes up with an A-plus game plan but than again I’m not wagering my last coin.”
Jacob says he will take a pass on this years’ event, added TV, is his nearest go to for the weekend.
With a bated breath, the loyalists believe the team would give it all to make up for 17 straight tournament losses.
Daven Prasad said he’s an optimistic.
“Canada Sevens may just end the jinks.”
Prasad reminds fans not to forget the back to back Olympic Games gold, Brazil 2016 and Tokyo 2020.
“We were almost in a similar situation under Ben Ryan and Gareth Baber, we picked ourselves and went on to win Olympic gold under both coaches, Ben Gollings got us Rugby Sevens World Cup 2022.”
Canada Sevens has averaged more than 10,000 Fijian fans a day and upwards of 25,000 fans for the 2 day event since the inaugural tournament in 2016.
Fijians from coast to coast including Seattle, Edmonton and Calgary travelled to Vancouver in the previous years’ but they are much more reserved as reflected in the poll.
Fiji last won the Canada Sevens under head coach Gareth Baber in 2018.
Fiji beat Kenya 31-12 in the final.
