Editorial comment – Feast of sports action

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Viliame Kikau. Photo: Penrithpanthers.com.au

Sports fans are anticipating big things this weekend.

This afternoon, the National Rugby League grandfinal is scheduled to take place.

Then there is the announcement of the 7s player of the decade in rugby union.

In rugby league, we have Fijians who will be on opposite sides in this afternoon’s grandfinal.

Viliame Kikau and Api Koroisau are in the Panthers’ squad that will take on the might of the Melbourne Storm which will include Fijians Tui Kamikamica and Suliasi Vunivalu.

Then there is the big one, the announcement of the World Rugby 7s Player of the Decade.

That’s where we have Jerry Tuwai among the top picks.

Former national coach Ben Ryan believes Tuwai deserves the World Rugby Men’s 7s Player of the Decade award because he is the only player in the list of nominees with an Olympic Games gold medal and the only player who has the most World Rugby Sevens Series titles and multiple Hong Kong 7s wins.

Ryan, who holds the record of being the first coach to win an Olympic Games 7s rugby gold medal, believes Tuwai deserves to win the inaugural title.

The Fijian playmaker and 2016 Olympic Games rugby 7s gold medallist is competing against South Africa’s Cecil Afrika and USA’s Perry Baker for the top prize.

“He’s got my vote because he is the only player in that list with an Olympic Games gold medal.

“He’s the only player who has the most World Rugby Sevens Series titles and multiple Hong Kong 7s wins. And he was influential in all of that.

“If you look at the teams and how much they relied on the players on that list, Jerry has got to be up there in who is influential.

“He is a gentleman on and off the field, a great ambassador, not just for the game of rugby sevens, but also for Fiji. I would love to see him winning the vote.”

In rugby league, attention shifts this afternoon to the NRL grandfinal.

That’s when the best in the game come face to face and top class action is expected.

It’s building up to be an exciting weekend of sports action with Fijians in the limelight.

We hope good things will come out eventually for us all. We hope you all have a top weekend wherever you are today.

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