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 TEIVOVO.COM - INTERNATIONAL 7s
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Thursday 21 December 2006
Cooks confirm attendance for Fiji international 7s
Cook Islands are the latest team to confirm their participation in the Fiji International 7s tournament scheduled to be held 19-20 January 2007 in Lautoka.
This brings the total number of confirmed international sides to 10 – Canada, Cook Islands, Fiji, Japan, New Caledonia, Niue, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa and Vanuatu.
The event is a 12-team tournament played in conjunction with a 12-team domestic tournament.
“We are still trying to arrange for one team from Australia and one team from New Zealand – not their national sides but invitational sides,” FRU chief executive Timoci Tavanavanua said.
The Fiji Rugby Union also explained the reasons for the tournament being moved to Churchill Park in Lautoka.
“Though Lawaqa Park had been our original choice because of location, Churchill Park is probably the best playing surface in Fiji and its important that the international players coming from overseas are offered the best conditions,” Tavanavanua said.
“Additionally, live broadcast feed, should we decide to have it, is more cost-effective in Lautoka," adding that there may be live coverage across the Pacific Islands.
Because of the ongoing crisis in Fiji, USA decided to stick to their original plan and prepare at home for the Wellington 7s. Otherwise they would have been traveling for 4-5 weeks. PNG did likewise.
Fiji hasn’t hosted an international 7s tournament since 2000, prior to the failed coup attempt by George Speight. The plans for next month’s tournament are the first step towards re-establishing Fiji as a host venue for the IRB World 7s Series.
Int'l 7s main page
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