Despite the poor performance, Team Fiji 7s women’s head coach Saiasi Fuli revealed that it was normal for him to receive criticisms about the team.
“It’s normal for me,” Fuli said during an interview in Paris on Tuesday.
Fuli acknowledged that for a sevens-crazy nation like Fiji, the expectations were always high, with players expected to perform their best.
“The pressure is always high when coaching sevens,” he said. “I have managed myself well while coaching this team, helping our team move from 14th position to sixth on the points table, especially over the last three years.”
Fuli added that even though they were disappointed with the result, it was the reality of rugby and they needed to accept it.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose – it is all part of the game. I am accountable for the performance of the team, and while the result is disappointing – the Olympics come every four years,” he said.
Fuli mentioned that he can’t do much to change the result, but they can return, learn from the experience, and be ready for the next games.
The Fijiana side finished last at the France Olympics. In their Pool A games, the team lost 17-14 to Canada, then were overrun 40-12 by Olympic Games debutants China, and in their last game were thrashed by eventual gold medal winners New Zealand 38-7.
The Raijieli Daveua-captained side was stunned by Brazil 28-22 in the ninth spot playoff and sent home by South Africa 21-15 in the 11th position match to finish 12th.
Fijiana had won the bronze at the Japan Olympics in 2021.