Let go indiscipline, behave

Opinions / Analysis

OKAY, Fiji Airways Fiji 7s team got beaten by New Zealand in the Cup semi-final of the Sydney Sevens.

But what was not okay is how they were obliterated at their own game.

It was that Sevuloni Mocenacagi’s jar­ring tackle on Scott Gregory had him ejected and the team looked down the bar­rel.

The sending off came early in the game even before Fijians were far from being seated at the Spotless Stadium.

The ingrained warrior as he is, it’s his action that thwarted a run up to the po­dium.

Yes, there’re times you need to let the op­ponent know of your presence.

Which appeared to be the intent follow­ing Kurt Baker and Sione Molia earlier rough-ups, as it turned out, it wasn’t.

The senior most capped player on the team should have kept his calm and played it smart, however his doing hurt the team.

It also goes without saying that any time these two fierce rivals have faced, it’s New Zealand that not only turns irritable, they seem to rub the skin good.

The Sunday fixture was no different.

And a few calls that should’ve gone Fiji’s way didn’t seem to attract referee Damon Murphy’s attention for reasons better known to him.

Karl Te Nana, New Zealand seven’s leg­end and commentator aptly said Mocena­cagi got his technique all wrong.

He said frustration escalated there on, added newcomer, Meli Derenalagi’s tem­perament didn’t help the team either in the later stages of the game.

He was sin-binned.

Former sevens players, coaches and sports know how’s, including coach Ga­reth Baber have stressed the importance of maintaining discipline, but the mes­sage doesn’t seem to get across to players.

This one rude instance may just do it for the dire need.
Mocenacagi and the team needs to shrug off the loss, pick up the positives and move on as there are 6 more events to fare-up and series to be won.

The Sydney Sevens was lost at our own game and for that blame must be ascribed largely to indiscipline.

But now the most potent thing for play­ers is to walk the high wire of self-control and behave.

The Las Vegas and Vancouver tourna­ments of the 2018/19 HSBC World Sevens Series are next on the list for our 7s team.