VILIMONI Botitu may be the new kid on the block but his performance after four HSBC World Rugby 7s tournaments has placed him alongside seasoned players including Fiji Airways sevens skipper Kalione Nasoko, nippy playmaker Jerry Tuwai, South Africa’s Werner Kok and New Zealand’s Sione Molia.
The soft-spoken player has racked up some amazing statistics — he is the Fiji 7s team top tackler with 49 tackles and third overall behind New Zealand’s speed merchant Molia and Blitzebokke’s tough man Werner Kok.
Kok leads the tackle counts after four tournaments with 56 followed by Molia with 53.
Botitu also tops his fellow teammates on the performance tracker with 138 points and second overall behind Molia who has 146.
Fiji 7s skipper Nasoko and England 7s skipper Tom Mitchell are tied on third spot with 134.
Dubbed the next Noa Nadruku for the Fiji 7s team, Botitu finished third on the most off-loads behind former Fiji 7s skipper Jerry Tuwai and current captain Nasoko.
Tuwai and France’s Jonathan Laugel top the off-load list with 20 off-loads each, Nasoko sits on second spot with 19 and Botitu in third place with 17 off loads.
To top things off, his discipline on-field is admirable – Botitu has never copped a red or yellow card in the past four tournaments despite being a newcomer.
The Navilawa native from the highlands of Ba who helped the Koli Sewabu-coached Fiji under 20s side win the 2018 World Rugby Trophy is expected to be at his usual best at the Las Vegas and Vancouver 7s tournaments.
Sewabu said he was not surprised with Botitu’s rise to fame in the abbreviated code having coached him in the U20 national team.
“Botitu is an all-rounder on the field. He is very committed, has self-discipline and has made a lot of sacrifices.
“If he is put in a good environment, he will flourish, he is quiet off the field and knows what is expected of him on the field. He hardly misses a tackle and he knows very well on the areas to work on after his past games.”
Sewabu said Botitu never missed training during his stint in the Fiji U20 side during preparations despite travelling all the way from the highlands.
“He never missed any training run with the team and always did his own training apart from the team’s training runs.”
Some of his best moments this season was the fend-off on gritty USA forward Danny Barrett during the Cape Town 7s and his slicing runs through USA’s speed merchants Perry Baker and Martin Iosefo to score his second try in the final.
He also shut down South Africa’s experienced Werner Kok during the Cape Town and Hamilton 7s tournaments.
The former Natabua High School student is expected to move up another notch at the Las Vegas and Vancouver 7s tournaments.
