CONFIDENCE or the lack of it was something Fiji men’s 7s head coach Osea Koilinisau could well reflect on after his side’s 24–17 loss to Spain 7s team in the Cup semifinal.
Kolinisau had sounded confident a day earlier when asked about facing Spain in the semifinal, boldly stating that Fiji would beat them “because we beat Australia today.”
However, that confidence was tested as Spain delivered a composed performance, capitalising on key moments and denying Fiji a place in the final.
Fiji struggled to maintain momentum throughout the match, with Spain applying pressure and making the most of their opportunities to edge ahead on the scoreboard.
While Kolinisau had his sights set on appearing in the final, Spain head coach Paco Hernandez said sometimes it is best to focus purely on the game and not allow emotions to take over.
Hernández said his side came in with a clear plan to take the game to the Fijians, remain disciplined and prevent them from playing their natural free-flowing style.
“We know what Fiji is capable of doing when they have the ball, we just need to neutralize them and jump on the play to get early points,” Hernández said.
The Spaniard added that predicting results is not something he believes in, noting that any team can win on any given day.
“How often do we beat Fiji? When we get the chance we use it. Good win, I couldn’t be happier for my team.”
Despite the semifinal setback, the Fiji men’s 7s team bounced back strongly, defeating Australia 29–10 in the third-place playoff to secure a podium finish and end their campaign on a positive note.
