AN alarming number of cards were flashed during the 34th Fiji Bitter Nawaka 7s last weekend highlighting the need for more mentoring of players in regards to their discipline level.
A total of 102 matches were played on day one which recorded 58 yellow cards and nine red cards.
On day two, 106 matches were played with the number of sin-bins and send offs increasing drastically.
The yellow cards recorded were 130 with 15 red cards. In the cup quarter-final between Raiwasa Taveuni and Police White, seven cards were dished out.
Watisoni Sevutia and Mesake Varo of Police White were shown the red card.
Ifereimi Tovilevu, Viliame Tivau, Meli Kurisaru and Mesake Tuinamena of Police White were also sent to the sin bin with Raiwasa Taveuni’s Tomasi Balai during the tense game.
Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber said the number of cards flashed was too many for one tournament.
“It’s a big number and if the rest of the world will look at that then you have got some issues,” Baber said.
“But we all have to work on that all the time, me included.
“As coaches we have to take the responsibility to educate the players. It is not to just push back on to them to say you are the bad boy in the middle of it.
“That’s what I need to work on with the coaches to get them to coach the players in the right way to play the game.”
Player discipline is the key area that the match officials have been targeting at the start of the Fiji Rugby Union Super Sevens Series.
Baber said players needed to get better with discipline generally in Fiji.
“I have to get my players better in regards to discipline,” he said.
“We are learning all the time, but across the board here in Fiji, we go on to the field to play the game. We play a beautiful game when it is about the ball, the movement and the space.”
The tournament was held at Prince Charles Park in Nadi.
