Fiji men’s 7s coach Osea Kolinisau is slowly losing the luxury of being able to choose from the crop of top 15s players following the announcement by Mick Byrne of his FIJI Water Flying Fijians Test squad for the matches against Georgia and New Zealand next month.
Fiji Police 7s coach Sale Tubuna believes the national 7s side is running against time in the lead up to the defence of the gold medal at the Olympic Games in Paris, France next month.
Kolinisau, he says, needs “our support” and the Paris event should be a priority. He said with six weeks left for the team to prepare, the ball was in Kolinisau’s court to decide what was best for his preparation.
“If I was the coach, I would want all the best players to be part of my team,” he said.
“All we have to do now is rally behind the coach.
“From fans all over the world including FRU (Fiji Rugby Union), we should support Osea as he battles for the players he wants in his squad and the timeframe to put together a winning combination,” Tubuna said.
Players who would have fit the bill for Paris included the likes of Fijian Drua centre Iosefo Masi, backrower Elia Canakaivata and winger Selestino Ravutaumada.
The return of double Olympic gold medallist Jerry Tuwai provides some semblance of order in the team’s preparations though.
On March 28 this year at Votualevu College, in Nadi, Masi, who was awarded the Fijian Drua Player of the Year award last night, hinted he was still undecided about whether to don the national 7s jumper for the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris or to be part of the Flying Fijians team.
“We were given the choice of whether to play in the Olympics or to play for the Flying Fijians for the Test match. For me, I haven’t decided which one I will take,” Masi was quoted saying.
Masi is now part of the Flying Fijians, most probably ruling him out of the Paris Olympics.
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris is scheduled to run from July 24-30 at Stade de France.
Tubuna said: “I think it’s better for Osea and Mick to work something out for the betterment of Fiji rugby.
It follows a commitment made by Byrne in February about players making the transition to 7s from the Drua for the defence of the Olympic gold.
Email sent to Byrne on Monday remain unanswered when this edition went to press.
