Fiji Bitter Marist 7s: Champion marches on

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Catch me if you can! Tevita Nabuliwaqa of the CK Ezy Buy Tabadamu 7s team makes a run for the try line during the elimination rounds match against NiuRua CD Uprising 7s team at the 43rd Fiji Bitter Marist 7s at the ANZ Stadium in Suva yesterday. Picture: JOVESA NAISUA

THE Fiji Bitter Marist Sevens defending champion Tabadamu Blue will play without many of its key players who played in last year’s final.

Two of the twelve players that played in the 2018 cup final will not be part of this year’s event however the results of the first day of the tournament doesn’t show a difference.

Team manager Ulaiasi Bolalailai said last year was history and they’re focused on creating a new outcome with most of the new players this year.

“We’ve always reminded ourselves during training that the past is the past and we will start off with a new mindset and treat all games as finals and I’m glad we’ve made it in the first day without our key players and we will remain humble until the last match,” said Bolalailai.

“We don’t play for pride because of the name of the team but we play our hearts out because we love what we do as rugby players and we’ve seen what it has done to our players in the past whom have represented Fiji and joined overseas clubs and that is our goal.”

Tabadamu won its first pool game against Natadra Young Boys 19-10, then they defeated Gau Kacau Knights 12-0 and they defeated Navuso in the last pool play before they the thrashed Humes Rugby 45-0 in the first elimination.

Meanwhile, the first elimination results has seen 32 teams compete with 16 teams progressing to the second elimination and the bottom 16 gets to compete in the top 20 elimination.

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