Osea Kolinisau, Fiji Airways’ Fiji 7s men’s coach, voiced his disappointment following the team’s narrow 12-10 loss to South Africa in the cup semi-finals at the Vancouver 7s tournament. Upon landing at Nadi International Airport, Kolinisau stressed that the team must take responsibility for the defeat, clarifying, “We had plenty of opportunities, but we just didn’t cover them.”
He pointed out that a red card issued to South Africa, giving Fiji a numerical advantage, was not enough to secure a victory as the team struggled to maintain their composure. “When we got that leg up, we lost it by going back to individual play. Instead of executing our strategy, we rushed our game,” he lamented. The initial game plan aimed at attacking South Africa’s defense along the edges, but the team failed to adhere to this strategy.
After scoring first and taking a 5-0 lead, Kolinisau believed the team should have taken full control of the match. “We could have controlled the match, played to our system, and created scoring opportunities effectively,” he explained. Emphasizing their missed chances, he mentioned that the team squandered four or five opportunities in the first half alone and converted just one of two in the second half.
The coach highlighted the emotional toll the loss took on the players, stating it “hurt” because they felt the tournament was within reach. Despite slipping to third place in the standings behind Argentina and Spain, Kolinisau remains optimistic about future competitions in Hong Kong and Singapore. “We need to polish our ball possession, improve our decision-making, and refine our strategy moving forward,” he assured.
The Fiji 7s team plans to regroup and assess their weaknesses ahead of the next tournaments, showcasing their resilience and dedication to improving. With Kolinisau’s leadership, there is a clear path for the players to learn from recent trials and come back stronger.
As the team prepares for future events, Fijian rugby fans can hold onto a sense of hope, inspired by the spirit of resilience that the team embodies, as they strive to rise up in the upcoming tournaments.
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