Surrey Stars players raise aloft the Jayden Memorial Cup, the team beat Rewa 3-0 in the final at the Bear Creek Park in Surrey
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Local Sports
FIJI Airways men’s sevens team celebrated their Canada Sevens win with fans at the BC. Place Stadium in Vancouver yesterday.
Fiji obliterated Kenya 31-12 in the Cup final, making them the first team to win two tournaments, Hamilton and Canada Sevens of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series this far.
The team played with a lot zeal and was the head coach Gareth Baber ever so confident on day one of the tournament when he said Fiji will win it all come Sunday.
Was he true to his words?
Baber saluted his side's tenacity throughout the tournament, having recovered from a Cup semifinal loss to USA in the Las Vegas last weekend.
“There was a reason as to why I made that claim”, he told Sportsone after the final win.
“After we lost to US in the Cup semifinal final, the boys were ever so determined to win the Canada Sevens.
“Obviously it is physical battle that goes on here but it’s the fatigue and the mental battle that goes in the changing room my hats go off to all the players over the weekend and the two weekends.
“This is a tough and a competitive environment and we have settled as a team”.
Baber said there is a level of progression on team unity and the maturity is what have them win their second tournament.
He admitted that captain Jerry Tuwai played through injury, potentially a fracture in his shoulder.
“Jerry was bad. He had a scan, an ultrasound scan which showed he had a potential fracture and that had it come true he needed an operation immediately in Canada and I was not going to take a chance.
"It was a risk with Jerry and I know my job was on the line at the end of it all, but he came through for us”.
Kenya head coach Innocent Simiyu conceded defeat, said Fiji was very strong in the final and he was happy for them.
“Fiji is a great team”, he said.
“They were simply too good in the final. Congratulations Fiji for winning the Canada Sevens”.
Josua Vakurinabili scored Fiji’s first try while Sevuloni Mocenacagi levelled it 12 all in the first half.
Mocenacagi, Alasio Naduva and Paula Dranisinukula scored in the second half.
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