The Fiji 7s team players with a fan in Hamilton [Source: Jemesa Puamau]

Fiji Airways 7s Head Coach Gareth Baber apologized to fans in New Zealand on behalf of the men’s and women’s teams last night at a function hosted by the Fijian community in Hamilton.

Following the Fiji 7s side 9th and Fijiana’s 8th place finishes yesterday, Baber says they are humbled by the support they received from Fijian fans in Hamilton.

The national coach adds both teams will have to move on from here to their next assignments.

“I’m sorry both teams couldn’t bring you more this weekend do you know what its sports it sometimes doesn’t go that way and the biggest thing we say to each other as a group is that we do actually take lessons from it we are humble enough to realize that the majority that we need to make sure we take those lessons and move on”.

Former Fiji Rugby Union Chairman and Fiji’s High Commissioner to New Zealand Filimoni Waqabaca reminded both teams that it was not about the result for the Fijian diaspora in Hamilton.

Waqabaca had this to say about how they felt regarding the Fiji 7s and Fijiana’s outing in over the weekend.

“For your supporters here in Hamilton and across New Zealand you will always be our winners irrespective of the result we are very proud of you so we always call ourselves all-weather fans your team here in New Zealand”.

The Fiji 7s side has now dropped to 7th on the overall Men’s World Series Standings.

After two wins from the last two events, the @AllBlacks7s sit on top of the #HSBC7s after three rounds pic.twitter.com/rNSIQ65N3v

— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) January 26, 2020

Fiji came to the Hamilton 7s ranked 6th with 23 points.

They earned eight points for their 9th place finish yesterday now 7th on the series table with a total of 31 points.

Australia has leapfrog Fiji to 6th after finishing third in Hamilton.

New Zealand has extended its lead at the top of the table with 63 points while South Africa is second with 48 points.

Back-to-back double champs.@BlackFerns + @AllBlacks7s ?#NZSevens pic.twitter.com/msq9CsVfoD

— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) January 27, 2020

France is third followed by England, Argentina and Australia.

Meanwhile, the Fijiana remain in 8th position on the women’s standings with 26 points.

The women’s #HSBC7s standings after 4⃣rounds pic.twitter.com/DbdAq0xVr5

— World Rugby Sevens (@WorldRugby7s) January 26, 2020

The Sydney 7s pools are expected to be announced later today.