Strong winds of up to 35 miles an hour with temperatures dropping to five degrees only added more challenges to the Vodafone Fiji 7s team but it did nothing to stop the fighting spirit of the players to successfully defend their USA Sevens title.

Down 0-15 at half time, the team rallied back to win 21-15.

Going into the final with only 10 men as Isake Katonibau was injured and Eminoni Nasilasila was sick, Fiji scored three converted tries to clinch the title.

The proudest man at the Sam Boyd Stadium was national coach Ben Ryan who had lost hope that Fiji could fight back.

“I thought at 15-0 Australia had sewn it up and playing that second half with the wind behind them…,” Ryan said,

But a tactical change in the second half with captain Osea Kolinisau moving to the forwards and Kitione Taliga and Masivesi Dakuwaqa coming in as substitutions changed Fiji’s momentum in the match.

Taliga’s first try came in the second minute of the half running the length of the field. His second try came three minutes later to narrow the deficit to 14-15 after a blunder by Australia’s Quade Cooper.

Another Cooper blunder saw Savenaca Rawaca running in for Fiji’s third try.

“It could have gone either way,” Ryan said.

“We weren’t playing our normal style in the first half, we were passing the ball along the line and not running our cuts. We looked a little bit tired and not showing that dynamism that we have been showing.

“Winds can do that – you can’t hear people, you are not sure what’s happening.

“After the second half I told them to be direct, no more cuts and if you have to score, score under the post.”