Despite the disappointing performance, Team Fiji 7s women’s head coach Saiasi Fuli shared that receiving criticism about the team is a regular occurrence for him.
“It’s normal for me,” Fuli stated during an interview in Paris on Tuesday.
Fuli noted that for a nation as passionate about sevens rugby as Fiji, the expectations are always high, with players expected to deliver their best.
“The pressure is always high when coaching sevens,” he remarked.
“I have managed myself well while coaching this team, elevating our performance from 14th to sixth on the points table, particularly in the last three years, managing the team effectively.”
Fuli acknowledged that although the outcome was disappointing, it reflects the reality of rugby, and the team needs to accept it.
“Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose – it is all part of the game.
“I am accountable for the team’s performance, and while the result is disappointing, the Olympics occur every four years,” he said.
Fuli added that while he cannot change the outcome, they can return, learn from the experience, and prepare better for future games.
The Fijiana team finished last at the France Olympics. In their Pool A games, they lost 17-14 to Canada, were overwhelmed 40-12 by Olympic debutants China, and were thrashed by the eventual gold medal winners New Zealand 38-7.
The Raijieli Daveua-captained side was stunned by Brazil 28-22 in the ninth-place playoff and sent home by South Africa 21-15 in the 11th position match, finishing 12th overall.
Fijiana had previously won the bronze at the Japan Olympics in 2021.