Jerry Tuwai has concluded an illustrious rugby sevens career with a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Speaking to the media after the sevens rugby final on Sunday, the Fiji 7s captain said, “I don’t see myself playing in the future for now.”
Tuwai retires as one of Fiji’s most celebrated sevens players, having won two Olympic gold medals and a silver, two Commonwealth Games silver medals, the Melrose Cup in 2022, and numerous HSBC Sevens Series titles.
He was also honored as the 2019 World Rugby Men’s 7s Player of the Year, the 2020 World Rugby Player of the Decade, and the 2019 Fiji Sportsman and Men’s 7s Player of the Year.
“I wanted to end my career with another gold but not everything goes to plan. I think it feels like the end for me at this moment. I don’t see myself playing again and I think I’ll go into coaching and help this old man (Osea Kolinisau) in the future.
“It has been a wonderful journey of rugby. From the first gold in Rio with our captain who is now our coach, in 2020 it was a blessing. To be here again in France 2024, it’s another blessing for me, and I don’t see myself playing in the future for now, I’m blessed that the head coach picked me again to help these young boys,” the veteran playmaker stated.
Head coach Osea Kolinisau supported Tuwai’s plan to transition into coaching.
“He has been talking to me about coaching. I love that idea and I told Jerry that he would make a very good coach, just given the experience that he has. I hope he really sticks to the coaching plan.”
Tuwai made his debut for Fiji during the 2014 Gold Coast 7s when Ben Ryan was the national coach.
The 35-year-old is the only Fijian player to have won five consecutive Hong Kong titles from 2015 to 2019 and is a two-time Series winner in 2015 and 2019.