U20 a threat in world meet

Arin Kumar
Sunday, May 27, 2012

THE Fiji under-20 rugby team can be a threat to any team if they play with a proper pattern says International Rugby Board’s Oceania Development manager Lee Smith.

Smith conducted a scrum coaching session with the baby Flying Fijians yesterday and he said he was impressed with how the side has been preparing.

However, he mentioned some areas that still needs works and that Fiji can use as an advantage when they compete in the Junior World Championship (JWC) in South Africa next month.

“They are all looking good so far, the boys are doing well and the coaching staffs have been preparing the boys well,” Smith said.

“But the big area of concern is the scrums and the line-outs are not reliable,” he said.

He said if big improvements were made to these two set pieces then the team would be able to get good ball in play.

“The forwards need to improve a lot to get their scrums right and to win line-outs. If they can do that and provide good and quality ball to the backline, they can do a lot of damage.”

Smith says Fiji has a fast backline but the forwards need to provide the backline quality ball to use.

“The backline is big and fast. I have seen them and I think it’s just unbelievable that these boys can be so big and fast at the same time. Some of the boys in the backline are so big, I thought they were forward.

“But it’s one those things that Fiji should use to its advantage, I mean that if the backline can get good ball then they can be a threat to any team they face.

He also talked on the importance of ball retention and said if your have possession make use of it.

“Possession is everything; you cannot score points if you do have possession. Possession is very important and so the forwards must win more quality ball to the backline.”