The current preparations of the Fiji men’s rugby sevens team were not up to the standard set by the gold medal-winning team at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games. This was disclosed by Fiji’s head coach, Ratu Osea Kolinisau, following their 28-7 loss to France, which earned them a silver medal at the Paris Olympic Games.
“I took over as coach four months ago,” Kolinisau said. “The preparation for the Olympics is typically a four-year process, and we were far from that standard when I started. I had to push the players to their limits within a very short period.”
Kolinisau expressed pride that the team made it to the Olympic final and secured a medal: “The players were really disheartened by the result. I told them to keep their heads high because winning an Olympic silver medal is a significant achievement.”
He acknowledged the critics who felt the standards he set were too high, leading to the team’s lackluster performance in the HSBC SVNS series. Many pundits had doubted Fiji’s chances of winning a medal. However, Kolinisau felt a sense of satisfaction with the young team’s accomplishments.
Regarding captain Jerry Tuwai’s influence, Kolinisau said, “I am thankful for Jerry. He understood my approach to the game well and knew the standards required. Jerry’s retirement will be a tough loss for Fiji rugby. His legacy will be hard to surpass and will inspire future athletes.”
Kolinisau conceded that France was the better team on the day, converting their opportunities into points.
“Coaching Fiji is a challenge, especially given Fiji’s rugby legacy and the passionate fans back home. Despite having a young team, the fans always expect us to win. We’ve worked incredibly hard over these few weeks.”
Kolinisau also noted that some players had faced criticism over the past two years for their performance in the sevens series, but securing an Olympic medal was a welcome bonus.
He expressed gratitude to everyone who supported the team on their journey to Paris and apologized for not winning the gold medal this time.