The experience provided by strength and conditioning coach Nacanieli Cawanibuka and captain courageous Jerry Tuwai from the 2016 Rio Olympic Games was beneficial in the Team Fiji rugby men’s 7s success at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.
Fiji defeated New Zealand 27-12 in the final to win the gold medal at the Tokyo Stadium last Wednesday.
The side created history by winning the gold medal back to back.
Fiji 7s head coach Gareth Baber said the experience that ‘master’ Naca and Jerry had in 2016 was invaluable towards the development to create the culture around this team.
Baber said they were able to get the players who fitted in that culture and survived in that culture.
“So what you saw out there was very much of a reflection of the personality types of Jerry and ‘master’ Naca,” he said.
“As a coach and as a head coach what we look for is building blocks that we put together that hold things in place.
“I knew although it wasn’t certain that we would be together for four years that it was important that you are authentic as a group.
“Those are as authentic as it comes when it’s their character and personality but also the way they go about their professional business as well.”
Cawanibuka and Tuwai were the only surviving members of the Team Fiji group that won the gold medal in Rio in 2016.
Baber said he had a lot of thank you to say to them personally for what they had been through.
“Not taking away anything from the rest of the staff and all the players and not just those players that were there with us in Tokyo but also the players that didn’t travel with us up to Japan and those who did not travel to Australia,” he said.
“The players who have been through the process because ultimately we were all guided to the final competition that was going to be the Olympics.
“The journey you take along the way and the bunch you had. You look at how you can improve yourself as a person and as a team.
“I think that is what I very much wanted as a group and knew that it would be successful for us.
“That reflection and the ability to take a view back and move on is a reflection of what Jerry and ‘master’ Naca have done as well. So I’m really pleased with that.”
