The Fiji Airways Fiji men’s 7s squad has arrived early in Hong Kong intent on reclaiming a title it last won in 2019 as the storied tournament marks its 50th anniversary. The early touchdown last Sunday sets the tone for a campaign the team and coach Osea Kolinisau describe as both a return to familiar ground and a fresh opportunity to reset after recent setbacks.
Kolinisau called Hong Kong “special to Fiji,” saying the city “counts Fiji as their home team,” and underlined the emotional weight the tournament carries for players and fans alike. The coach said the side’s early arrival was a deliberate move to “prepare fully, adapt to conditions, and ensure they get off to a strong start,” framing it as more than logistics but a statement of intent ahead of a high-profile leg of the HSBC SVNS series.
The timing adds pressure and purpose: this year’s Hong Kong Sevens is a landmark 50th edition, a stage where legacy and history are amplified. For Fiji, the competition carries added significance after a slip-up in their last tournament in New York. Kolinisau was forthright about lessons taken from that result. “We’ve learned a lot from that. Now, it’s about qualifying for the next series and making sure we start well in Hong Kong,” he said, signalling that the team’s short-term focus is on immediate form and points as the SVNS circuit progresses.
Kolinisau also drew on personal history to motivate the squad. He recalled the 2013 Hong Kong final, when he claimed a rare hat-trick on the island’s hallowed turf — a memory he described as special but incomplete without the team’s collective success. “It’s special to me, but it would mean more if the team wins. I want to create those memories with the boys,” he said, positioning individual milestones within a broader team objective.
Fiji’s preparations come amid a season in which consistency has been a recurring theme for the team, with coaching staff publicly identifying starts to pool play and defensive lapses as areas requiring tightening at recent SVNS legs. The early arrival in Hong Kong is intended to give the squad extra time to adjust to conditions, sharpen combinations and address the weaknesses Kolinisau and his staff have targeted since the New York result.
Supporters and observers will watch closely over the coming days to see whether the extra preparation translates into immediate returns on the field. For a nation that treats sevens rugby as a national touchstone and for a coach with deep personal ties to Hong Kong’s Sevens history, this 50th edition presents both an emotional homecoming and a practical chance to arrest recent inconsistency and move back toward the top of the series standings.
As the SVNS circuit moves into one of its most celebrated stops, Fiji’s message is straightforward: honour the legacy of the tournament, learn from recent mistakes, and start strongly to keep the campaign for silverware and series qualification alive. The team’s early presence in Hong Kong is the latest development in that effort.
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