Players' sevens match fitness crucial in Fiji heat, says Claridge

Manawatu sevens team coach Paul Claridge is adamant he will only take players to Fiji next week who are conditioned for the sevens game.

He said it had long been proven that taking players away to the tropics when they had not trained for the short version of the game did not work.

"Because of the heat they will encounter over there, they will be shot," Claridge said.

He said they might get through day one but day two would take its toll.

Manawatu is the only New Zealand team invited on the all-expenses-paid trip to the Suva Rugby Festival next week, the start of celebrations for the Suva Rugby Union's centennial.

Manawatu's team of 12 players leaves on Tuesday and plays from Thursday to Saturday. The other teams are from the Western Force, Canada, United States, Hong Kong, Fiji, Papua-New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga, plus top Fiji club sides.

Claridge will probably take a much changed side there from that which played in the nationals at Queenstown. The three New Zealand players – Lote Raikabula, Junior Tomasi Cama and Kurt Baker – will be at a national camp and won't be released.

"My intentions were to take young guys and develop them."

But he is wary of knocking their confidence against strong international and Fijian teams.

He is also mindful of the tournament being in place for the next three years and he would like to see Manawatu return.

"While we want to develop Manawatu players, we also want to turn on a reasonable performance," he said.

Claridge hopes Kia Toa wing Paul Tietjens is over his quad injury and that Lloyd Carter and Craig De Goldi have recovered after being knocked out during games at Queenstown. Kia Toa's NZ sevens triallist from last year, Scott Curry, was in Claridge's sights but he is off to a tournament in Darwin.

Claridge wants to take outside players to reinforce the side. Among them will be Whanganui's Asaeli Tikoirotuma, a fullback, and Lasa Ulukata, a No8. They have been training with the Manawatu squad since mid-November.

- © Fairfax NZ News