“When we’re winning we keep competing like we’re losing.”
This is the secret ingredient revealed by the Tabadamu team manager Leo Naikasau Sr when they participate in a local rugby sevens tournament.
After an epic final in the McDonalds Coral Coast sevens tournament between the defending champions Police and Tabadamu, Naikasau Sr reminded the boys on the basics of discipline they’ve been trained to do and that is to maintain the same approach they’ve been following for the-
past five years to remain humble in victory and gracious in defeat.
Tabadamu lost to Police in the Cup final of the Coral Coast Sevens Tournament 17-0, but the Namosi based team has stamped its mark in local 7s competitions for the past five years making it to the finals in many of their sevens participations and injecting local players to the Fiji Airways Fiji 7s team.
Naikasau Sr said their aim is to breed and groom local talents to reach a standard that they can give back to their families.
“Our preparation has been the same for the past five years, we train from January to December from Monday to Thursday if there’s a tournament in the weekend but if not then we train until Friday and that has developed our fitness level, team bonding and understanding each other out in the field of play,” said Naikasau.
“This team was formed for the development of local based players in rural areas to reach another standard in Fiji rugby and many have accomplished their dream, some are still on the ladder and others are hoping to reach that level.
A total of 40 players are under the Tabadamu rugby 7s club and every week they compete for the 12 available spots in the team for participation in local sevens events.
