Fijiana 7s coach, Saiasi Fuli, is set to announce his 15-member team for the Paris Olympics this week. Fuli indicated that the team will depart for France on Monday, July 15.
“We will be at the HFC Bank stadium tomorrow,” Fuli confirmed.
The men’s 15-member sevens team, coached by Osea Kolisau, already flew out on Monday. The men’s sevens competition will take place from July 24-27, followed by the women’s tournament from July 28-30. The men’s gold medal match on July 27 will award the first team sport gold medal of the Games.
In the women’s competition, three highly competitive pools have been established. Reigning Olympic champions and SVNS League winners New Zealand will compete against Fiji, Canada, and newly qualified China in Pool A. Pool B sees Rio 2016 Olympic and SVNS 2024 gold medalists Australia facing off against Ireland, Great Britain, and newcomers South Africa. Hosts France, a top-ranked team with a silver medal from Tokyo 2020, are in Pool C and will compete against the USA, Japan, and Brazil.
For the men, Pool A consists of New Zealand, Ireland, South Africa, and Japan. Pool B includes Argentina, Australia, Samoa, and Kenya. Pool C features Fiji, France, USA, and Uruguay.
World Rugby Chairman, Sir Bill Beaumont, expressed his excitement: “The rugby sevens Olympic pools promise to be an epic, coming-of-age tournament for our sport in the French capital. Our sport will kick-off Paris 2024 with an exciting and spectacular brand of rugby that will captivate the fans in Stade de France and millions more watching worldwide. Rugby sevens, in its third Olympic appearance, is proving to be a major attraction of the Games with record enthusiasm for tickets, fierce rivalries, and two strong French national teams aiming for Olympic success on home soil. Paris demonstrated what an amazing rugby show it can put on during Rugby World Cup 2023, and the Olympic Games will be no different, with passionate fans filling the stadium to create an incredible atmosphere for the players.”
All matches will take place at a refurbished Stade de France, with a capacity of 69,000 seats.