The Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) Board of Trustees plans to retain Osea Kolinisau as the coach of the Fiji 7s team for the upcoming rugby sevens season. This information was confirmed by FRU interim chair Peter Mazey, who expressed strong support for Fijian coaches.
Kolinisau stepped into the coaching role in March, following widespread calls to replace Ben Gollings after Fiji failed to secure a tournament title in the World Sevens Series. With only four months to prepare, Kolinisau implemented strict fitness standards for the players, including team member Jerry Tuwai. These changes had a positive impact on the team’s performance, making the FRU eager to retain Kolinisau’s leadership.
“We will be having discussions with Osea. His family still resides in America, and his contract extends just beyond the Olympics,” Mazey stated. He expressed gratitude to Kolinisau for stepping in at a crucial moment and praised the changes he brought to the team. In addition to Kolinisau’s leadership, Mazey highlighted the valuable contributions of Gareth Baber and the support from previous Olympic coaches.
Kolinisau, who captained the Fiji 7s team to a gold medal victory at the 2016 Rio Olympics, received assistance from former Fiji 7s star Setefano Cakau during a recent tournament. He also focused on the team’s fitness with the help of strength and conditioning coach Ian Gibbons and consultant Naca Cawanibuka, alongside Gareth Baber, the coach during Fiji’s 2020 gold medal win.