BY Jeremy Duxbury in London
NATIONAL 7s coach Gareth Baber’s baptism of fire when arriving in Fiji 18 months ago was helped by the fact that he managed to maintain the core players from the team that won gold in Rio and he marvels at the world-class nature of players such as halfback and skipper Jerry Tuwai.
“When it comes down to the final seconds of a crucial game, when we need to score a try, I look at Jerry Tuwai and see calmness personified,” the Welshman said.
“He reminds me of great sportsmen like Roger Federer and Novak Djokavic at the climax of a major tennis championship. That’s when you see the true warrior and athlete emerge.
“They have trained so hard for those moments and are so focused. I’ve noticed that Jerry doesn’t look tired at that point in the game; he looks calmer and almost happier.
* More on this story in today’s The Fiji Times and in our e-edition.
