Some members of Wimborne Rugby Club had the chance to meet the Fijian Rugby Sevens men’s squad who are training at Canford School in the lead up to the Commonwealth Games which start in Birmingham on 28 July.

The Fijian players are making full use of the range of sports pitches across Canford’s 250 acres of grounds plus the extensive gym and fitness suite, sports hall and indoor 25m swimming pool within the school sports centre. Built into the schedule is also some touch rugby and relaxation on local beaches.

Coach Ben Gollings, who is also a former Canford pupil, said: “When we were looking for a venue for our pre-games camp, Canford was a natural choice. It’s easy to get to from the major international airports, the facilities are first rate and there’s plenty of space for us to get acclimatised and bond together as a squad. Having the beach on our doorstep is an added bonus – almost a home from home in the current heatwave!

“Our squad has been training hard and we are looking forward to competing in a few weeks’ time in Sevens against some of the best rugby nations across the Commonwealth. This will be my first Commonwealth Games as Fiji’s new coach and I have high hopes for the teams which look to be in great shape for the start of the tournament. There’s a lot to live up to, given the Fiji men’s sevens team is one of the most popular and successful in the world, having won the Hong Kong Sevens a record number of times since 1976, the Rugby World Cup Sevens twice and gold at the Olympics. I’ve been working hard transferring all the knowledge and skills I learned when captaining the England Sevens side to this fantastic Fijian squad.”