Despite the team’s poor performance, Team Fiji 7s women’s head coach Saiasi Fuli stated that receiving criticism about the team was a normal occurrence for him.
“It’s normal for me,” Fuli remarked during an interview in Paris on Tuesday.
Fuli explained that in a sevens-loving nation like Fiji, expectations are always high, and players are expected to perform at their best.
“The pressure is always high when coaching sevens,” he noted.
“I have managed myself well while coaching this team, moving our team from 14th position to sixth on the points table over the last three years, taking good care of the team.”
Fuli acknowledged that although they were disappointed with the results, it was a part of rugby, and they needed to accept the reality.
“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 added that he could not change the result but emphasized the importance of learning from the experience and being prepared for future games.
The Fijiana side finished last at the France Olympics. In their Pool A games, the team lost 17-14 to Canada, was overrun 40-12 by Olympic Games debutants China, and was thrashed by eventual gold medal winners New Zealand 38-7.
Led by captain Raijieli Daveua, the team was surprised by Brazil 28-22 in the ninth place playoff and was defeated by South Africa 21-15 in the 11th place match, ultimately finishing 12th.
Fijiana had previously won the bronze at the Japan Olympics in 2021.
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