Fiji relaxed as they close in on World Seven Series crown

Fiji have won the last four tournaments of the 2017/18 HSBC World Sevens Series and have one hand firmly on the trophy with a seven-point lead over the Blitzboks.

But you wouldn’t know it from captain Jerry Tuwai.

Fiji only have to reach the semi-finals in Paris‚ where the 10th and final leg of the season takes place this weekend‚ to secure the world title for a fourth time.

It would be a spectacular failure of Fiji didn’t progress past the quarterfinal stage‚ and even if they didn’t‚ the Blitzboks would still need to win in Paris.

Fiji have won five of the last six tournaments this year and have recovered from a slow start to the campaign when they were losing quarterfinalists in both Cape Town and Sydney.

The momentum is with the spectacular islanders‚ who have mixed consistency with power and flair for the most part of the campaign.

The Blitzboks have been consistent with one tournament win in Dubai‚ three runners-up places in Sydney‚ Hamilton and London and five other semi-final appearances.

But they haven’t been able to win enough‚ which is why they are on the precipice of losing their title unless Fiji somehow come unstuck.

“All the boys are really good and are training right now to get ready. We have a lot of respect for South Africa and the teams in our pool‚ but we’re focusing on one game at a time‚” Tuwai said.

“Everything (Coach) Gareth (Baber) is teaching us is helping us get to a point where we are playing good rugby and we’re excited for Paris.

"We are playing in the way we want to and our focus is very much on Paris right now.”

Blitzbok coach Neil Powell might rue sending a weakened team to Hong Kong earlier in the campaign‚ where his ebullient youngsters lost narrowly to Fiji in the final.

Had the Blitzbok prevailed there‚ it might have changed the momentum of the season‚ which swung irreversibly in Fiji’s direction after that tournament.

But with a Commonwealth Games and World Cup campaigns to juggle this season‚ Powell made a judgement call that has so far failed.

The Commonwealth Games ended without a medal and the Blitzboks are on the brink of relinquishing their World Series crown.

Winning the World Cup in July is the only outcome that can save the season from being labelled‚ if not quite failure‚ then underwhelming.

The Blitzboks face Russia‚ Canada and Scotland in their Pool.