Great chance for Gold: Tanivalu

Local Sports

Former Fiji 7s coach, Ilisa TanivaluFormer Fiji 7s coach Iliasa Tanivalu is optimistic about his countrymen winning their first ever Olympic gold in Rio, Brazil in August.

Tanivalu said he was impressed with the Vodafone Fiji 7s Hong Kong performance, encourages the team to replicate the form during the Paris and London Sevens with added doze of stimulants in the lead up to the podium run in Rio.

“The boys showed true resilience during the Hong Kong Sevens”, said Tanivalu in a Sportsone exclusive in Surrey, Canada.

“While we’re still atop on the overall points table there are areas that needs to be perfected and I’m pretty confident Ben Ryan would work on it starting with the remaining two legs, the Paris and London Sevens”.

Having tasted victory at Happy Valley and Glasgow Sevens as a coach in 2009, the Telecom Fijiana Women’s team coach believes, coach Ben Ryan has the talent spread and depth in the team to win it all in the Olympics.

He said the Singapore Sevens was the litmus test in all essence of the game for the boys as they had to make do without a handful of the marquees and the fact that the boys had to fight back against England, Australia and South Africa to win in the nick of time.

“The Fijian work ethics was on display versus England, Australia and Britzbox.

“Minus Semi Kunatani, Pio Tuwai, Savenaca Rawaca and Isake Kotnibau to injuries the team came under lot of stress and yet the players stepped up their game to the finals and that in it showed pure determination, team-work, athleticism and bravery”.

Tanivalu said the news that overseas players have expressed their desire to join the team is a breath of fresh hope.

“It’s always good to have the experience and the class of the overseas based players.

“But let’s be perfectly honest here, the core of the team that had been on the roster must be maintained for the Olympic as they’ve earned the spot and have helped the team this far”.

The coach of the Fijiana team also holds faith in his women’s side to finish third overall on the IRB World Women’s circuit and accompany the men to the Rio.

“It’s doable”, Tanivalu said. “It would be an amazing feat to have both the men’s and the women’s team represent Fiji at the Rio Games”.

The Paris 7s will be held on the 16th and 17th of May in France followed by the London 7s the week after.