Fiji ready to cook up something special

Dubai: Coach of the Fiji side, Iliesa Tanivula is not making any bold predictions but remains quietly confident his side can produce something special at this year's Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens.

"Preparations have been fairly intensive. We've selected a strong team that we're hopeful can deliver in Dubai," said Tanivula.

The former New Zealand Sevens player will be hoping his side can produce the same sort of form that saw them taking two tournament titles last season, having last won in Dubai in 1998.Their last trip to Dubai for the Rugby World Cup Sevens in March was rather a disappointing one, with the Fijians being handed an unexpected quarterfinal exit by Kenya. But Tanivula reckons that has no bearing on next week's tournament.

"Regardless of our performance at the World Cup we're always determined to win in Dubai," he said.

"I think you've always got to be confident going into these tournaments but of course there are so many good teams these days that any one of a whole host of teams could win." Fiji have been drawn in Pool B along with Samoa, Scotland and Zimbabwe. They will be playing in the opening game of the IRB Sevens World Series, on Friday, December 5 against Scotland. "Every team will be tough. Honestly I think it's impossible to predict but I think any opposition will need to be wary of every single player in our team," said Tanivula, whose team managed to produce tournament victories in Scotland and Hong Kong last season.