[FILE PHOTO]

There has been no update on Fijian contracted players overseas on the possibility of joining the national 7s squad to the Tokyo Olympic Games next year.

Discussions with players and their clubs have been affected when rugby in Europe came to a halt as the COVID-19 pandemic brings the game into a hold.

Fiji Airways national men’s 7s head coach Gareth Baber says once situations in Europe and in the country improves, discussions will continue.

“The clubs that those boys are contracted to are having tough times at the moment financially. Those clubs are going to have to get themselves back playing and the get the boys playing.”

Baber says this will give him a clear picture on what steps to take next.

“Once that happens and once I’m aware of what the future of the World 7s Series looks like for this year and in to next year and of course to the Olympics than I’ll be a position where I’ve got facts so I can have conversations with their respective coaches to see exactly how they might become part of the process and progress towards the Olympics.”

At the moment Baber says they’re working on scouting local potential players into the training squad.