15s desire for Fiji's coach Ben Ryan

Fiji sevens coach Ben Ryan's journey with the team would most likely come to an end after the Rio Olympic Games next year.

Ryan found God-gifted athletes in Fiji and added the right components to create world champions and now was working towards his swansong to become Olympic champions.

Ryan confirmed that he was looking to move on, but promised not to coach another sevens team.

"Yes, this is true. I love living in Fiji. I really do," said Ryan.

"But after watching the World Cup, I really got my desire back to coach 15s again. I haven't had an offer to stay in Fiji and I think a new challenge is needed. I wouldn't go to another sevens team after Fiji — why would you!"

Under Ryan, Fiji's natural game has become far better than it ever was. The individual focus on players to get individual skills up has also reaped rewards and turned Fiji into a fantastic team.

Ryan said the players and the team would only be getting better.

Ryan joined Fiji in 2013 and initially worked free until the Government put its hands up and offered money in the national budget to cater for overseas-based coaches.

The Englishman has a special place in the hearts of Fijians and has gained a lot of popularity.

In his own words, he gets stopped for about 300 pictures every day.

In the meantime, Ryan and the team now shift focus to the Cape Town Sevens in South Africa. 

Meanwhile, food poisoning was just one of the obstacles the Fiji sevens team overcame to set the ball rolling as they now head to Cape Town, the second tournament in the World Sevens Series with one tournament in the bag.

Player of the tournament Jerry Tuwai overcame food poisoning to deliver a stellar performance on day two which saw him create magic and was ever present to support the forwards.

According to coach Ben Ryan, Tuwai got food poisoning on Friday night after sharing a sandwich with a Japanese player.

Captain Osea Kolinisau was proud the way his team held on and played to win the opening tournament in Dubai.

"My hats off to the boys they played very well. England gave us a fright in the final, they played very well. We are just thankful that we have come out as winners," Kolinisau said

"Dubai is very important because it is the start of the new season and we wanted to get a winning start and get us rolling into the next tournament."

There is injury concern to Viliame Mata who would most likely be benched for Cape Town as coach Ben Ryan is likely to bring in Nemani Nagusa for Mata. Ryan exchanges height for brawn.

Debutant Sevuloni Mocenacagi has reaffirmed his position with a good performance it would also be interesting to see who Ryan would be dropping to give Alivereti Veitokani a game.

Fiji as a team ran in the most tries by a team this weekend amassing 113 points in total.

Jerry Tuwai had a personal tally of five tries while Isake Katonibau had four to his name.

Pio Tuwai stood out as well with his off-loads that had the opposition guessing where the ball would pop out from

     

Author: 
PACNEWS