Patience proved to be the defining factor for the Fiji Airways Fiji men’s 7s side as they clinched the Singapore 7s title on Sunday night with a hard-fought 21–12 victory over France in the final.
Fiji was forced to dig deep after falling behind 0–12 early in the decider, but once again showed their trademark resilience and composure under pressure to turn the match around.
The comeback victory mirrored their earlier performances in the tournament, where they were also pushed to the limit. In the semi-final against New Zealand and their final pool match versus South Africa, Fiji trailed 0–14 on both occasions before rallying strongly to secure wins.
Coach Osea Kolinisau said championship teams are defined by their ability to respond when momentum is against them.
“I told them not to worry if they (opponents) score first. Just maintain your structure and things will fall into place,” Kolinisau said.
“It was important to maintain patience and remain calm under pressure if we were to win and the boys did just that.”
Viwa Naduvalo, Kavekini Tanivanuakula and Pilipo Bukuyaro crossed the try line for Fiji in the final, sealing another memorable title for the side.
The victory has propelled Fiji to the top of the World SVNS Series standings with 52 points.
New Zealand sit close behind on 48 points, while South Africa and France are tied on 46 points each.
The series now shifts to Perth this week where Fiji have been drawn alongside South Africa, Spain and Argentina.
Meanwhile, the Fiji Airways Fijiana side — which finished sixth in Singapore — will also be in action in Perth, competing in a pool that includes New Zealand, the US and Japan.
