THE national sevens team will be working on plans to try and stop the Etuate Waqa-coached Tonga side when the two teams meet at the Gold Coast 7s in Australia next month.
Newly appointed Digicel sevens assistant coach Timoci Wainiqolo confirmed that the national team was working on new strategies as they look forward to meeting Tonga in pool play in Gold Coast.
Fiji, Tonga, Australia and Scotland are in the same pool in the opening tournament of the new IRB HSBC Sevens World Series.
Wainiqolo admitted that while they know that former assistant coach Waqa would be familiar with some of their play, he would be working with head coach Alifereti Dere in trying something new to use against Tonga.
The Digicel national sevens team started its campaign in the 2011/2012 IRB HSBC Sevens World Series on a high note winning the Gold Coast 7s.
And Wainiqolo admits that while he knows trying to retain the title would not be easy, he remains confident they have a good team to take to the opening tournament.
"Yes, we know our pool will not be easy but we have our plan on how to play the Tongans during the Gold Coast 7s," Wainiqolo said.
The Wardens 7s and Namosi fifteens coach said while he was familiar with some players in the team, he would be working hard trying to get the new players to fit into the type of game Dere wanted Fiji to play.
"I will be working on the same plan that has been set by Dere and what I will be trying to do is to get these players to play that kind of game," Wainiqolo said.
The national sevens squad has been in camp for the past two weeks and Wainiqolo said the focus had been on team bonding.
"We have been working hard on team bonding and will move to the field in the next two weeks."
This week Wainiqolo has been working with only 14 players as he has released the 10 Nadroga and Nadi players for this weekend's Farebrother Sullivan trophy challenge.
Defending IRB Sevens series champions New Zealand is the favourite in pool A with South Africa, Canada and USA.
England will face Samoa, Kenya and Spain in pool C while Argentina, Wales, France and Portugal are in pool D.