RUGBY World Cup 7s all-time top try scorer Marika Vunibaka has urged stakeholders to work together to bring back the Melrose Cup which he strongly believes belongs to Fiji.
The draws for the 2013 RWC 7s was announced in Russia yesterday with Fiji grouped with Wales, Uruguay and Tonga.
This will be the final edition of the RWC 7s after which the Olympic Games will serve as the pinnacle of 7s event every four years.
Vunibaka who hails from Vione is one of the few players who has played in three RWC 7s tournaments — 1997, 2001 and 2005.
He was part of the victorious Fiji teams in 1997 and 2005.
Vunibaka said the national 7s team had a good chance of lifting the Melrose Cup.
"I believe the Melrose Cup needs to rest in Fiji because we are the only country to win it twice," Vunibaka said.
"We even have a bridge named after it so it belongs to us. But there is a lot of work ahead of us to get the Melrose Cup back to Fiji.
"Nothing else in the world will bring more smiles on the faces of people of Fiji than winning the Melrose Cup. We have won the Hong Kong 7s on many occasions but to lift the Melrose Cup is just something beyond jubilation."
The RWC 7s will be played in Moscow from June 28-30.
Vunibaka leads the RWC 7s try scorers list with 21 tries followed by Waisale Serevi with 19 tries and Samoa's Brian Lima with 17 tries.
Ironically the trio's names also appear in the top three of the all-time top points scorers list. Serevi leads with 297 points followed by Vunibaka with 115 points and Lima with 101 points.
Vunibaka said the national selectors needed to pick the best available players for the RWC 7s.
He said the overseas players had to be considered.
"Fiji has a good chance against Wales, Uruguay and Tonga in pool play," Vunibaka said.
"But we have to pick the best players. We need to have experience in the team. This is where the overseas players have to be included in the squad.
"Players such as Jerry Burotu, Metuisela Talebula and Nikola Matawalu have to join the local boys who have been playing in the HSBC Sevens World Series. This is the last RWC 7s. Fiji needs to win because it is the national sport. Everyone needs to work together. It is not only the Fiji 7s team management.
"The Fiji Rugby Union needs to get involved with the government, the business houses and the fans to get the Melrose Cup back to the country where it really belongs."
The other nations which have won the RWC 7s include England 1993, New Zealand 2001 and Wales 2009.
2013 RWC 7s
Pool A: Australia, France, Spain, Tunisia;
Pool B: South Africa, Scotland, Russia, Japan;
Pool C: Samoa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Philippines;
Pool D: New Zealand, USA, Canada, Georgia;
Pool E: Fiji, Wales, Tonga, Uruguay;
Pool F: England, Argentina, Portugal, Hong Kong.