Taina Basiyalo 
Fiji Airways men’s 7s captain Jeremaia Matana has delivered a blunt reminder to his squad that wearing the national jersey is a privilege, not an entitlement.
He says the honour must be earned and upheld through consistent performance, discipline and attitude.
He says with competition for places fierce, every player willingly put their hand up to represent Fiji and must fully accept the responsibility that comes with it.
“I’ve always advised the boys that nobody came with a whale’s tooth to ask you to represent our country — we all raised our hands to be here,” Matana said.
“Whatever is handed to us by the officials and management, we should take it with both hands, keep moving forward, and get the job done.”
The skipper’s message underlines a no-nonsense approach within the camp, as the team looks to maintain standards and accountability while pushing for consistency on the world sevens stage.
The side is currently preparing for the third leg of the 25/26 HSBC SVNS series that will be held in Singapore starting on the 31st of this month.
The men’s team is currently in 2nd place on the standings with 32 points, while South Africa leads with 32 points as well.
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