The position of head coach for the national 7s team is on everyone’s mind. Our former 7s coaches Ben Ryan and Gareth Baber departed on a high note.
They created history by winning our first and then back-to-back Olympic Games gold medals.
Both coaches had success on the HSBC WRSS circuit, having led the flamboyant Fijians to some scintillating tournament wins. Both coaches managed to win the overall series title as well.
Fans are so used to having an overseas based coach that they are calling for an overseas mentor for our 7s team. However, the rise of the Fijiana on the world stage indicates that a local is capable of doing the job, and why not. Sevens maestro Waisale Serevi led Fiji to our first ever overall series title in the 2005-06 season. Serevi would have created history the following year, 2006-07, had we gone beyond the Paris 7s quarter-fi nal clash against Wales. However, Fiji lost that battle and gifted the All Blacks 7s team the Paris 7s and the overall title. L
ast week, I penned an article on three former and industrious 7s players – Ben Gollings, Waisale Serevi and Osea Kolinisau – who had the ability to coach the 7s team. However, in this article, I will highlight interim coach Saiasi Fuli’s achievements.
Fijiana creates history
The Fijiana created history. Our girls sent shockwaves in Tokyo, claiming their first ever bronze medal, and they achieved this under the able leadership and coaching mind of Fuli – a local coach. From an eighth finish at the 2016 Summer Olympic Games, that was held in Rio at the Deodoro Stadium, to third finish five years later, speaks about the enormous amount of effort put in by Fuli and his coaching panel in shaping the Fijiana to be world beaters. Fuli is no stranger to rugby and coaching, having being part of many challenges and successes.
The Fijiana did not stop there. The girls claimed a back-to-back silver medal on the HSBC WRSS first leg in Dubai.
The Fijiana was on song as they remained unbeaten in pool play, and came close to upsetting the Aussie women’s 7s side in the grand finale.
The Fijiana and Australia met in consecutive fi nals in Dubai, and unlike the 22-7 win for the Aussies in the first weekend, the battle in the second final was a close one, and I pay tribute to Saiasi Fuli and the young brigade for the efforts shown against Australia. Although we lost 5-15 our girls won accolades and fame for playing their hearts out. The Fijiana beat Ireland 24-19, USA 21-12, Team Great Britain 17-15 and France 17-12. In the first tournament, the Fijiana defeated Ireland 28-12, Canada 28-26 and Team Great Britain 28-5, but had lost to Russia 27-19. Hence, one could see a huge improvement from the previous weekend.
Fuli’s philosophy
Saiasi Fuli, who based his pillars on fi tness, smartness and hardness, saw them as the necessary package in order for players to be considered in the Fijiana squad.
His philosophy and motto, which is “so shall we train, so shall we fight”, is simple and conveyed to the players he coaches. FRU CEO John O’Connor had this to share about Fuli (FT: 10/12): “He (Fuli) has really developed and matured as a coach. He is one of the best local coaches and very thorough with his actions, reports, plans and very compatible to any overseas coach.
He (Fuli) has matured quickly by working with Gareth Baber, where he gained a lot of experience as his assistant coach”. Through his commitment, passion, dedication and determination, Fuli was able to turn around the fortunes of the Fijiana. Backto- back silver is an incredible achievement!
Fuli’s background
As time progressed, players of the past were replaced by newcomers, and one of them was Saiasi Fuli, who was born and bred in Nabua, a place many consider the home of 7s rugby. Growing up in Nabua, Fuli looked up to his idolsthe late Tukiti Vesikula, Waisale Serevi, Pauliasi Tabulutu, Tomasi Cama Sr, the Rauluni brothersthe late Vesito and Viliame, Joe Rabele, Fili Seru and Alivereti Dere. These players played for Nabua, Suva and Fiji, and this motivated Fuli to follow their path. According to Fuli, the late Tukiti was a master coach and tactician, as his former players – Waisale Serevi, Tomasi Cama Sr, Alivereti Dere and Pauliasi Tabulutu – ended up coaching the national 7s team.
As a player, Saiasi Fuli represented Lelean Memorial from the under 14 right up to the under 19 grades.
He represented Nabua club for 10 years, and was part of the Fiji U-20 team from 1998-99. He also played for Suva, the Fiji Warriors, and our Fiji 7s and 15s teams.
Fuli was part of the 2002 Fiji 7s squad that lost to the All Blacks 33-15 in the fi nal of the Commonwealth Games 7s fi nal. Fuli played alongside some big 7s names in Epeli Ruivadra, Jope Tuikabe, Iosefo Koroiadi, Josefa Uluivuda, Norman Ligairi, Ratu Saukawa, Rupeni Caucau, the late Seru Rabeni, Viliame Satala, Vilimoni Delasau and Waisale Serevi against the champs in Amasio Valence, Anthony Tuitavake, Brad Fleming, Bruce Reihana, Chris Masoe, Craig de Goldi, Craig Newby, Eric Rush, Karl Te Nana, Mils Muliaina, Rodney So’oialo and Roger Randle. Fuli was a silver medalist in 2002.
Local coaching career
Fuli is a World Rugby educator, and is a World Rugby accredited level three 15s coach and World Rugby accredited level two 7s coach. He has had an industrious career as a coach, having coached Nabua, the USP rugby team (he was the director coach at USP) and the national U-20 team (with Bill Gadolo).
Fuli was Gareth Baber’s assistant from 2017-18 and Senirusi Seruvakula’s assistant (Fiji Drua) in 2018. From 2017-19, he was the head coach of Suva rugby team, and then from 2019-20 he was the head coach of the Army rugby team.
He was appointed the Fijiana head coach last year. Fuli has achieved so much, as a coach, including the famous Skipper Cup triumph over Nadro. In 2019, he won gold medal at the Pacific Games, the Sukuna Bowl with Army and the Defence World Cup as Fiji Army coach. As Baber’s assistant coach, he shared memorable victories on the HSBC WRSS circuit. He learnt so much that experience.
Coaching the Fijiana
According To Fuli, coaching the Fijiana was the most challenging job that he came across, as the girls had lack of competition, lack of core skills, lack of match fitness, and lack of resource management. Hence, the no-nonsense coach set an agreement with the girls. He told them that they could not fix the system, but could only address it by conquering the world with positive results, as he believed that the impact would change the system and people’s perception of women’s rugby in Fiji.
Therefore, he changed the attitude and culture of his team.
He emphasised on the team’s diet, the training method and strategy, coaching management and the structure of the overall team. He had a tough journey, but he achieved what no other 7s coach had achieved at the mecca of 7s from eighth finish in 2016 to bronze medalists.
First Olympics bronze medal
An emotional Fuli who described Fiji’s arduous route to an Olympic bronze medal to overseas reporters said: “It’s a massive achievement – the effort shown by our girls. They just learned rugby a year ago. “They had no idea what rugby was. We identified them from athletics, some just playing touch rugby in their village.
“So we had to do a massive job and 60-70 per cent of our effort was just concentrating on core skills, how to catch, how to pass, and tackle technique.
“For the long-term, we need to try to promote the game, develop the game for more girls to take rugby for their sport in Fiji.
“This is the impact that will infl uence young girls in Fiji to play rugby.”
Big boost for rugby!
Fuli – the risk-taker Maikeli Seru, our veteran sports writer, compiled an article titled ‘Fuli- the risk-taker’ (FT: 10/12), and I was impressed with the way Maikeli, who is passionate about sports, coined the article with some apt and thought-provoking questions that were answered by both Saiasi Fuli and FRU CEO John O’Connor.
In that article, Fuli highlighted his role heading up to Dubai and the learning experience. He looked after both teams in the absence of the men’s coach. Maikeli hit the nail with these lines, “Fuli, whom I call a risk taker has proved himself, or will we just invest on an expat, who will come and make his name and leave us scrambling after he departs”.
Wishing Fuli all the best! I won’t be surprised if he gets the nod.
RAJNESH LINGAM is a contributor to this newspaper. The views expressed are his and not necessarily of this newspaper or his employer.
