Fijians celebrate the victory of their Sevens rugby team against Britain in the final at the Rio Olympics, inside ANZ stadium in Suva.
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Osea Kolinisau didn’t want merely to win Fiji’s first ever Olympic gold medal, he was determined to do it by showing the world how rugby sevens should be played. “But the last few years have been fantastic and I’ll always be thankful for helping Fiji find my fire again”.
And Ryan said it might not have been possible without the “dress rehearsal” they had at Hong Kong – which he described as “Fiji’s Olympics”.
“We were an average team before he came in and he lifted the level”.
Josua Tuisova and Mata Viliame added to that tally in the second period with Dan Norton grabbing a consolation try for Britain.
The British, most of whom were from the England sevens team Ryan used to coach, were left to just shake their heads and accept their opponents were simply unstoppable. “You get out of the airport and there’s a 20-foot billboard of them”, their British coach Ben Ryan said.
“It’s a massive achievement to get a first medal for your country, especially a gold medal”, said Kolinisau, the most-experienced Fijian ever on the global sevens circuit. “Probably when we wake up tomorrow, it will dawn on us what we’ve achieved here”. “These boys have come from very humble backgrouds and beginnings, and that’s what makes them such a unique team in world sporting terms”.
In the first period on Thursday, Fiji made five tries, each of them a true demonstration of power and skill that astonished the rugby world. Just the way we wanted to play the game.
In a sevens masterclass, the Fijians avoided contact and the long-pass game, putting faith in Ryan s “no reward without risk” gameplan of off-loading to keep possession.
Jerry Tuwai followed soon after with Britain s defence failing to cope with the Pacific islanders off-loading brilliance.
Britain coach Simon Amor said Fiji’s gold was a great result for one of the most consistently exciting proponents of a sport making its Olympic debut.
National carrier Fiji Airways said it would be serving only Fijian beer on its flights in in a gesture of celebration.
It was a sensational and hugely popular conclusion to the first rugby tournament at the Olympics since 1924.
“They saved their very best until last: brilliant, breathtaking rugby”.
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But Bainimarama said “a wonderful reception awaits our boys when they arrive back in Fiji. never before has the Fijian spirit soared so high as it does today”.
