FIJI Airways 7s team coach Gareth Baber has increased the intensity of training for his squad with just one more week before the Sydney 7s.
The team has been in camp at the Uprising Beach Resort for the past few weeks.
Baber is under pressure to produce a good team to take to the Sydney and Wellington 7s tournaments.
“Training has been good even though it was raining for a couple of days, but genuinely we’re doing the job that needs to be done,” he said.
“I’ve increased the intensity of training, trying to get the boys to do the work and trying not to get them injured and also getting the players healthy.
“Their recovery is always important and also their eating habits, eating at the right time and keeping them disciplined in everything they do.”
Baber said he was monitoring the players, hoping they could improve on their individual skills.
“I look at their ability to run at high speed at long-distance where they can create intensity as what the game will dictate and their ability to deal with the contact area where they can physically dominate their opponents in a tackle something we showed in the first half against South Africa in the game in South Africa.
“Everybody knows what we can do when we have the ball in our hands — they create those situations, recreate those moments and prove themselves.
“Discipline is always an issue and we have to make sure we don’t give away penalties — it gives advantage to the other teams.
“The main thing is creating mental toughness within the players during training sessions and picturing what will happen on the rugby field, so that is why I am trying to get in my players.”
The team is expected to be named next week.
