Circa 1997. Waisale ‘Maestro’ Serevi and his team return to Fiji with the Rugby World Cup Sevens trophy.
The welcome back home was special, says Osea Kolinisau, who was 12 years old then.
“I was a youngster who had lined up on the streets for the parade. That was something,” says the current Fiji 7s captain.
“But when we won the (2016) Olympic gold and came back home, IT WAS SOMETHING ELSE. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. I told the boys the same. Total chaos, people going nuts, going crazy. You just can’t compare anything to winning an Olympic gold.”
Kolinisau is in Doha with the rest of the Olympic gold-winning squad, prepping for next week’s Dubai 7s.
“It is a historical moment for us. I think this is the first time that the Fiji national team has visited an Arab country getting their brand of rugby along,” says QRF president Yousef al-Kuwari.
Fiji is scheduled to play Qatar national 7s team in an exhibition game today at 7pm at the Aspire Warm-up Track, an event that QRF promises will be exciting for one and all.
“For us, as organisers and as fans, this is a dream come true. We are sure to learn a lot from this game. Also, people of Qatar, parents, kids, everyone can come and enjoy an exciting game of rugby. The Fijians will not only play a game but will also spend time with the fans.”
For his part, Kolinisau, who was in Doha recently to accept the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) Award for Best Male Team at the Rio Olympics, says, “When we go to Dubai next week, we will have Qatar on the top of our minds. You guys have played a major role in our preparation for the Dubai tournament. There is time difference, and to get it right is very important in rugby 7s. Our stay here will help us acclimatise.”
Talk about the Olympics, handling pressure, being on top of the sevens game, and the Fijians light up with pride.
“At the Olympics our goal was to try and win the tournament. And we planned it perfectly, thanks to (head coach) Ben (Ryan). We had an eight-week plan. One of the things that he had us do was no carbs for eight weeks. It was a pain but we did it,” Kolinisau says.
“I thought we won at the training ground. When we played in Rio, I thought ‘this is easier than our training back home’. Everyone was fighting hard and it was intense for those 12 spots. So Rio was nothing compared to our training.
“Winning the gold has put us up right there. Olympics gave us exposure with the millions watching it on television across the world. They know who we are. When we say Fiji, they know that we are the Olympic gold medallists. When we won the gold, Fiji was the most searched term on Google.”
The fan in al-Kuwari had him asking the Fijians about handling pressure.
“We can’t get away from pressure in rugby, and especially when you are considered as number one wherever you go to play. Over the years, we have learned to deal with pressure head on,” Kolinisau replies.
“Ben says things like ‘people back home are awake, despite it being 1am there, to watch you play and win’. When you head out on to the field, if you see the boys smiling despite all the pressure, you know they will play the Fijian way. It’s never about how much we score, but to play the Fijian way. A win is a win. Everyone makes mistakes, and that’s fine.”
Interim coach Naca Cawanibuka adds, “Rugby is a physical sport, and people in the Oceania are naturally built for the game; blessed with genetics, power athletes and very fast as well. Our players grow up from a very young age playing the game. So you need athletes, who are built to deal with the physical aspects of the game.”
Talking about growing up playing the sport, the conversation invariably veers towards grassroots.
“Look at New Zealand, Australia, Samoa, Tonga, us, we get them (the players) at the grassroots level. Players grow up playing the touch format of the game. So we have got our basics right and when we grow up, we fine tune it and get better,” Kolinisau explains.
Despite all the success, Fiji has been suffering from an exodus of sorts with many players choosing to move abroad for greener pastures.
“Rugby is professional now and we can’t stop our players. It is a revenue generator for the players, they have to take care of their families. Fiji is a small country and we really can’t match the money being offered to our players. You know it will help them in their life. It is a challenge but also a reality,” Cawanibuka says.
“Having said that, Ben Ryan has been talking about starting a league based in Fiji. If we have the means to keep our youngsters at home, then they won’t move. Don’t get me wrong, every Fijian is very close to his country and would love to wear the white jersey. But when he grows up and is presented with an opportunity, it is a way for him to support his family. It doesn’t make him less of a Fijian,” Kolinisau adds.
Post the victory in Rio, the team has seen a few youngsters joining the squad and Cawanibuka had a novel way of talking about the transition. “We have a senior group of players who are very humble and their only goal is to pass on the mantle to the younger boys. The idea is that they only have borrowed their jerseys for some time, and they would want to pass it on to worthy successors,” he says.