Training stats impress Cawanibuka

The FIJI Water Flying Fijians strength and conditioning coach Nacanieli Cawanibuka says the players are working hard on the field and in the gym, and are exceeding what is expected of them.

For the team management, it is something positive for the Rugby World Cup campaign. Cawanibuka, who is attending his third RWC tournament, said while the team was now in competition mode, it was important to maintain physical qualities like strength, power, and conditioning levels.

“The boys are still lifting heavy in the gym – we prescribe the resets and reps that they need to hit, and loads as well. They’re hitting the loads that they are expected to achieve,” the former Fiji 7s rep said.

“In terms of how we train, we try and train the game as much as possible, that’s an important principle of training where everything we do on the training pitch transfers onto on-field performance.

“It’s all measured, they’re quite big on the ball in play minutes that the boys cover in training to replicate the demand of the game. They’ve worked hard.

“They’ve worked hard to exceed what the game would actually demand. So you could say probably training harder than the game, and we’re probably better off that way where you know you can have reserves in the tank.”

He said outside the gym and field, there were other things that needed to be monitored to have the players in the right frame of mind.

“There are other things outside of training we need to manage, like how much they’re sleeping, how much time on their phones, the discipline of staying hydrated, the little things.

“These are the little things that sometimes can be really boring. This is the thing that we’re trying to push within this Flying Fijian team.

“It’s a new Fiji way and it’s the professional way, it’s the way where you know hopefully we can build on the foundation of the great reps who have gone before us who have done massive good for Fiji.

“But this group is also looking to break new barriers and change mind-sets, and hopefully take Fiji into the future.”