FIJI RUGBY 7s v TABADAMU 7s | 2021 Fiji Bitter Marist 7s CUP FINAL

They're in the tunnel, ready to come out. Iosefo Masi, who is wearing number 2 in the Fiji side, was the best player of the Marist Sevens last year. He scored a head-prinkle prize to help Thamban Damu win over Police last year. This year, he's in the Fiji side, and he will be pecking against Thamban Damu. Iosefo Masi plays for the Eastern Saints Rugby Club in the SUVA competition. They won the Koroturanga Championship. The match officials are following the two teams. In the forwards for Fiji will be Iosefo Masi, Kaleone Nasoko and Meli Dernalagi. Jerry Tuwai and Kitione Talinga will be at halves. Nadungu has been dropped to the bench. And then Sirele Mangala is 10-7 in the cup semi-final. We're set for the $20,000 final at the 45th Fiji Pita Marist Sevens. $15,000 for the winner, $5,000 for the runner-up. Will it be Thamban Damu to retain their title? Or will Fiji Barbarians put their name on the trophy list after 12 years, the last time the Fiji Barbarians won it in 2009? Referee for this game is Tailebumen Tevita Rokovereni. There goes the firecrackers even before the final. All set for a big Sapphire Anniversary Fiji Pita Marist Sevens final. Kaleone Nasoko. Kitione Talinga. 27-year-old from Datambo village kicks the Fiji Pita Sevens final alive. Fiji quickly up there. It's on the Thamban Damu side. They're deep inside their own territory. 10 minutes each way, the final. First penalty to Fiji. Quickly taken by Kaleone Nasoko. Nasoko takes it up. Taken in a good tickle by Kaminele Rosaku. It's there for Fiji. Yosef Omasi gets it away. Here's chance. Numbers. Oh, not needed. Jerry Tuwai, the step and then the acceleration. Perfect. He puts Fiji up five points to nil. Well, he celebrated his 32nd birthday last Tuesday. Will he celebrate today? Kaleone Nasoko. That was good work. Yosef Omasi, the delivery. Look at Jerry Tuwai. Step and over. Easy. World Rugby Sevens best player over the 2019-2020 season. And the conversion is good from right in front, from Talinga. And that is 7-0. Jerry Tuwai. Wonderful shot from the camera in the back. So we wait in the middle. Kaleone Talinga. High one. Taken well on that side by Kawakini Tambu. Kelevanua. No, it was the Kaunivalu. And it's there for Kelevanua, the captain. Flicks it away. Here's Netani Nandavo. Bombs off one. Netani Nandavo. Spocky winger of Tambandamu. Sets it up well. Kelevanua clears it off. Kaminele Rasaku. Rasaku takes it up and he sets it up there for Tambandamu. Away quickly that time from Thomas Mbulai. And then taking it up. That's Kelevanua. So it's there. Held. Not releasing in the tackle. Kelevanua Talinga. Talinga fires it out. Good job by Talinga. His conversion after the full-time buzzer in the semi-final. Put Fiji in the final. 7-0. We're playing 10 minutes each way in the final. Under lights here at the ANZ Stadium. Good work that time by Iosefo Mausi as Fiji get it away very quickly. Now, oh, that's a slicing run. And running to the corner. That's a try for Sirele Mangala. The 21-year-old from Nakorotumbu in Raa. Former RKS boy. Very good work by Fiji. Sirele Mangala. Look at him go. From set-piece move. Ketione Talinga. Looking for the extra points from wide out. Not able to find it. Sirele Mangala. Got away. And he knew that he had the speed to go in the corner. Beautiful. High kick from Ketione Talinga. Now it's a good tackle by Meli Dernalangi and Fiji go on the counter. They've got it. Iosefo Mausi. Good work. Talinga. Flex it away. Here's Chuta Waningolo. Oh, Fiji making it look so simple. Three tries now. Chuta gets that in the corner. That's 17 points to nil. As close encounters earlier in the semi-finals. But looks like Tambandamu is not able to keep up with this. Fired up Fiji side. Fiji leads 17-nil. Ketione Talinga. Wonderful shot. Oh, that's a great one. And the Flakes go up. 19 points to nil. Chuta Waningolo. Try in the corner. Long high kick that is. Oh, dropped by Natani Nandavo. It's picked up by Chuta Waningolo. He looks to go to the corner again. Waningolo. Good tackle around the legs this time. Ball comes back. It's there for Jerry Tuwai. A little dance and then he finds Meli Dernalangi. Dernalangi's away. Dernalangi gets tackled. He's looking for support. Fiji have it secured. There for Jerry Tuwai. Tuwai will have to dig in. Waits for it. Now he's got it. Flicks it away on towards the left. Talinga got it away. Kallione Nasoko. No look pass for his captain Jerry Tuwai. Jerry goes in the corner. The step and Jerry Tuwai. Second drive for Tuwai. The magician showing his tricks over here. 24 points to nil. Sirele Mangala. He got caught. Found Kallione Nasoko. Look at that. No look pass from the former captain to the captain today. And Jerry Tuwai stepping away from the last defender into the corner. That's one way traffic. Jerry Tuwai. Second try in the first half. Four tries for Fiji. 24-nil. This man has converted two already. Looking for his third. No he's missed it. Jerry Tuwai. Wonderful finish in the corner. They've already got one hand on the 45th Fiji Bidder Marries Sevens title. Still seven and a half minutes only gone in this one. Long way to go. Netani Nandavo. Kelevanua there. Doing well. It's there for Dakao Nivalu. Out from Tomasi Mbulai. And then trying to straighten it up is Kavekini Tambu. He loses the ball in contact. Fiji can't clean that up. They'll come back for the knock on from Kavekini Tambu. And Fiji will feed the scrub. Near ten metres mark in Tambandamu territory. Eight minutes gone. Kavekini Tambu. Impressive this weekend. But this time he tried to get the pass away. Didn't work for him. Nukwilao native from Navosa. Tambu. Younger brother of Sebuloni Modena Dangi. Jerry Tuwai. New town would be proud of him. Hails from Dakao Nivalu. There it's out on the other side. That's Kirione Talinga. Talinga. Tries to get away from Kelewanua. Good work. Talinga, the Tambu man from Nandi. Olympic gold medallist with Fiji in 2016. He started the final. Putting Weiss Ndugu on the bench. Weiss will surely have his turn later. This is a long final. And Fiji go with the kick. And gain territory. Talinga made his debut for Fiji in 2015 in Dubai. Here's Jerry Tuwai. He made his debut in 2014 in Gold Coast, Australia. What a beautiful place that is. For sevens rugby. Now over the top. Good work that time from Yosef Omasi. Best player last year in the Marist sevens. Out it comes. Oh, it's lost. It was a high one. Sirele Mangala. Needed to get up there to take it. The 21-year-old Nakorotumbu male from Ra. That's from Kirione Talinga. Bit of a high pass. Just sweat on those palms probably. Near 22 metres mark. Dying seconds in the first half. It's Tambandamu with possession. The penalty comes in the scrum against Fiji. Tambandamu will have it. Last play for Tambandamu in the first half. They're about 74, now 78 metres away from the try line. The other side. What will they do? Oh, they get bundled there. Rasaku then picked up by Tambu. Tambu tries to get away. Good tackle by Darren Alangi. It's set up there for Keleponua. He flicks that away. Here they come now. Johnny Vota. Johnny Vota takes it through, former Fiji Sevens player. He sets it up there. Out quickly that time from Keleponua, the captain. Dakaunivalu gets it away. Tambu. Good work that time. Rasaku. Now the stocky winger. Netani Nandavo. Oh, he's taken in a good tackle that time by Chutawaningolo. And then it's played up that time by Tambandamu who have it. Goes to the ground. That's 10 metres mark in the Fiji territory. Ball comes out from Dakaunivalu to Keleponua. On to Tomasi Bulai. Bulai does well. He turns away. Looks for support. Still Bulai. Gets it infield. And now it's Keleponua. Good work by Tambandamu. Tambandamu look for support on to Dakaunivalu. And Dakaunivalu will go straight through and in between the sticks. Tambandamu. It's taken them more than 10 minutes to put the first points on the board. But they've got there. It's 24 points to 5 now. Good work. They kept the ball alive. They had support players right through. And Fiji could only chase them and try for Dan Dakaunivalu. Keleponua from right in front. And he puts it over. 24-7. Tambandamu. One reply in the form of Danny Dakaunivalu. Kawakini Tambu. Popped up. Ready for the second half. Petaro Keleponua will start the second half. A high kick it is. It hangs in there. And Fiji get up and they palm it back. Quickly getting that out. And Sirele Mangala puts it to the boot. And driven downfield. That was Chuta Wanigolo, I think. So, that was Sirele. And we wait. Sirele has got a bloody mouth. So, he has to go to the blood bin. No, they'll check him in. No, Wais Nadungu goes in. So he has to go off the field of play. And Wais Nadungu goes on for Fiji. So, Talinga at playmaker. Quick work. Down to the ground there for Kawakini Tambu. Johnny Vota. He's worked hard over the two days at the Mare Sevens. Fiji at the counter ruck. Diving through their time. And the penalty will come for Fiji. Joshua Vakurunambili is in. The 26 year old. Kawakini Tambu. Battle of the Fiji Sevens squad. Nukulau men from Navosa. Coach Gareth Baker will be happy with the scoreboard so far. After the edge of the seat thriller in the semi-final against Rewasa. So, here. Picked up by Wais Nadungu. Nadungu puts the kick through. And referee says play on. No problem there. And Tambandamu will get it at the back. Netani Nandavu. Oh, couldn't take that cleanly. And that's knocked on by Kamenieli Rasaku. Another Fiji Sevens squad member. The young boy. Nandavu. Took the tackle and looked for Rasaku. Went to his boot places. Couldn't pick that up properly. Rasaku. Scrum. So, just holding on. Benyamino Vota is going on. So, Benyamino Vota will join the front row. Kawakini Tambu. Terrifying something with referee Roko Vereni. Tambu in the middle. Vota on the far side and Vota on this side. Far side is Johnny. This side is Benyamino. Jerry Tuwai to feed it in. Tuwai. That's 22 metres mark in the opposition territory. Fiji. Good work. Waisanadungu. Wainingolo. Wainingolo turns, goes straight at the Tambandamu defence. Good power play by Chuta Wainingolo. He sits it up there. And then it's cleared by Fiji. Good work by Talinga. And Jerry Tuwai goes with a kick pass. And this is brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. Simeone Vede. The Namosi man. 35 years old. Goes in to score the try. Former Tambandamu player himself. He's got a big smile. Look at Jerry Tuwai. That's master play. That is classic. That's one for the highlights reel. Jerry Tuwai with the kick pass. Simeone Vede going in to score for Fiji. And they stretch their lead now. 29-7. First try of the second half. Waisanadungu will look for the extra points from the boot. Fiji. Look on track. 31-7. Five tries. Jerry Tuwai. Master act. Simeone Vede. No mistake. Perfect. Now here's Levi Ikanikonda who's gone on the park. Former Supergrammer boy from Rewa. Netani Nandavo is Tambandamu going backwards. And the flag is up from this side from Mr. Vosalevu. And that will be Fiji with the throw. Line out throw. Netani Nandavo. He's out already Netani Nandavo has come off the field of play. Here's Jerry Tuwai. Good work by Levi Ikanikonda into the middle is Waisanadungu. Nandungu holds it and turns it changing direction in for Jerry Tuwai. Little step. Jerry Tuwai with the kick and chase. Jerry Tuwai chasing for it. It's there at the back. Tambandamu. They've got it. The penalty comes for Fiji. Jerry Tuwai was over the top of that. This man 32 years young playing very well. Jerry Tuwai takes a little bit of time to get up. Is he saying? Yes he said. He said enough. He wants to change. Now they'll carry on and Nandungu gets it. Into the middle it goes. Taken up well that time by Vakurunambili and then it's flicked out and comes very close to the corner. Here's the tank. Over the top. Ikanikonda gets it out. Jerry Tuwai once again. Stepping. Oh. Gave it away to Kaminele Rasaku. It was lost forward by Jerry Tuwai. It's with Tambandamu now. They've got four minutes to try and score four tries and win this. Time is running away from Tambandamu. We'll have a new champion it seems like in the Marist Sevens. The Sapphire anniversary 45th Marist Sevens Petarokelewanua, the captain of Tambandamu. Five times champions in the last six years in the final again in the seventh year. But they've got hard work in front of them. Now about three minutes left to play. They need four tries if they are to take this championship. It's flicked away that time and lost forward. Referee says advantage to Fiji. It's picked at the back there by Jerry Tuwai. Gets it out into Asaili Tuivuaka. Tuivuaka. Benjamino Vota copped a big one and then Kaverkinitambu said come here mate. Navosa versus Namosi. Navosa won that battle. That's the tickle of the Highlanders. First Benjamino Vota. Now Tuivuaka went over the top and that's Daniele Dakaunivalu and coming through was Tambu with a shoulder. Someone is down injured. That's Benjamino Vota. He got hit by Tuivuaka. I think he's had enough. Now he will go and he'll carry on. He's OK. Tuivuaka. Shoulder charge says the referee and Fiji have the penalty. Levi Ikanikonda putting it to the boot and firing it down field on the Grinstein touch. We now wait for Jerry Tuwai still on the park. He'll throw this in. Tuwai over the top. Vakurunambili. Good work that time by Tuwai. Changes direction. Here's a replay of the last time probably and Tambu gets him and they've managed to rip the ball away from him but there's the tussle on the ground that time and it's spilled by Vakurunambili. Vakurunambili. It's there for well Joshua Vakurunambili has his own billboard in his village in Baravi. He's a star. Gareth Baber backing the orders from the side and here's Tambandamu Petrokelevanua. Tambandamu playing for pride. Looking for probably a consolation try to finish this off. It won't mean anything on the school card. Fiji will be crowned new champions of the 45th Fiji Bidder Marist Sevens. There's the full time buzzer. Petrokelevanua gets it back. Trying to go forward there that time is Glenn Zakoutini who's on the park for Tambandamu and here's Kawikini Tambu. They're still going. Tambu sets that up. Benjamino Vorta gets in there to clear it away. Kelevanua out quickly. Show of the ball and away goes Semisitasere. Infield pass is good and Captain Petrokelevanua will finish off the Fiji Bidder Marist Sevens with a try for the defending champions. As they hand the reign now to the new champions, Fiji's shadow team. That's a good break by Semisitasere. And then Kelevanua. Wonderful dive to finish this off. 31-12. A kick to come from right in front. Petrokelevanua waits for Semisitasere who puts it over and the full time score will read 31 Fiji 14 for Tambandamu. Semisitasere. Infield pass to his captain. The inside run on the channel and Kelevanua. The dive finish. Here's Geritouai and Kaminele Rasaku. Great sportsmanship. Geritouai knows Kaminele Rasaku will grow in the game. Probably one day he will wear that number 9 Fiji jersey. They all know each other very well. It's Simeone there. The former Tambandamu player there with the Tambandamu team. Iosefo Masi is a former Tambandamu player. Josefa Taladolo is also a former Tambandamu player. Tuai and Vakurunambili there. Iosefo Masi wearing too. Former Tambandamu player. Last year he played for Tambandamu and helped them win the Marist Sevens. Full time in the 45th Fiji Bidder Marist Sevens final. Fiji Shadows Sevens 31. CK Easy by Tambandamu 14. New champion in the Marist Sevens. Here's the two teams huddle. So let's go to the sideline and we've got Gareth Baber with Aquiladama. Yes sir. I'm here with the national coach Gareth Baber. Coach, your thoughts on the final tonight? Probably saved our best till last. We haven't had it all our own way and that's courtesy of the competition that's been against us. Every team has played as if it's a cup final. That's exactly what we need. We know going to an Olympics, we've talked about playing six cup finals and coming out here this weekend it was tough. We scraped by in a couple of them and that's what we're gonna need is those learnings from that to be able to push into the Olympics and it's a fantastic, as is always with Marist, it's a fantastic tournament. You were tested three times, by fire and twice by Rawasa Taivuni. Did that hit some nerves as well? Yeah, absolutely. I'm a human being and I want to win in everything that I do and we work so hard to put performances together with individuals to get them collectively as a team and then put them under pressure and they were put under pressure and they came through. I know there's people out there that think one or two of those games shouldn't have gone our way and that's rugby, that's sport. But we found a way through and we did that and then what happens is what you just saw there where Dabba Dabba were a fantastic side and we saved our best and got above them which was really positive for us moving forward. Finally, what stood out for you and were there some players that you saw for the first time in action here at the Marist Sevens? What stood out for me was the level of intensity and the physicality which I always see. I was pleased that there was much better control from the players throughout the whole tournament. I'll say it again, there's a player that really excites me. It's Sorelle Mangale. Playing for us, he's in the squad. He's only a young man and he took the final there by storm. That's Jerry Tua. You see him back doing what he's doing. He's teasing people but it's the way he is with the group and that Fiji team is in his image and it's fantastic to have an individual like that with the right values, right behaviours, guiding these young men to where they need to get to. If there's a World Series leg next week, would you take the same team? Yeah, potentially. I can't say for certain now. There's a couple of injuries but that's what I picked the team to and that's how we did it as a coaching staff. We were going to a series event now. What would we pick? And that was the 15 that were here. Obviously you only pick a third team when you go overseas but it would have been those boys. That's the nature of the competition we're in within the squad. There's some good players playing elsewhere. Nandu was playing for Army. You've got Kavikini and you've got a couple of others playing for other teams as well and that's important to keep them playing, keep them at that competition level and this competition does just that. Thanks Coach. Some great work by Fiji Shadow Sevens as they're in the huddle both teams. Tamba Namo Fight!