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Gollings' Fiji successor outlines 'criteria' for Olympic gold defence

Osea Kolinisau #14 of Old Glory DC warms up before the match against the New England Free Jacks at Segra Field on April 25, 2021 in Leesburg, VA. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)

Newly-appointed Fiji 7s men’s head coach Osea Kolinisau has arrived from the USA to replace Ben Gollings, who it has been revealed received forewarning before he was eventually sacked.

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The gold medal winner, 38, immediately held his first briefing with the squad which included his 2016 Rio Olympics-winning teammates Jerry Tuwai and Vatemo Ravouvou, setting out the path he believes Fiji needs to take to defend their Olympic sevens title in Paris in the summer.

Kolinisau, who has been playing in Major League Rugby in the USA, told the Fiji Sun: “My criteria are not based on experience and talent alone but fitness and training to the standard Fiji sevens is renowned for. It’s the Olympics and we want to take the best players that we have.

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Tendai Mtawarira shares some pearls of wisdom with young players

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      Tendai Mtawarira shares some pearls of wisdom with young players

      “No player is guaranteed a spot on the team as equal opportunity will be given to players. My focus now is Hong Kong SVNS, I’m going to work on our fitness and defence this week. I’m also going to work on our reaction to kick-offs and set pieces.”

      He captained Fiji at the 2016 Rio Games where they won the first gold medal available for sevens under coach Ben Ryan and it was defended by a Gareth Baber-led team in Tokyo. However, Fiji have not won a round on the HSBC SVNS Series since May 2022 and Kolinisau’s first target will be at the famous Hong Kong SVNS tournament on April 5-7.

      Fiji Rugby Union interim chair Peter Mazey revealed at a press briefing that Gollings had been given clear warnings about his failure to win a tournament.

      “He (Gollings) got his first verbal warning in November last year,” said Mazey.

      “We had to give three verbals and one written, they were all given.

      “The first one was in November, another two were given after the Cape Town and Perth SVNS and he got a written warning after the Vancouver SVNS.”

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      f
      fl 23 minutes ago
      Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

      “A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”

      Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.


      “The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”

      I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.


      “Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”

      I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.


      “The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”

      I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!

      176 Go to comments
      J
      JW 4 hours ago
      French bid to poach 109kg 17-year-old dual-code Aussie prospect Heinz Lemoto

      Yes that’s what WR needs to look at. Football had the same problem with european powerhouses getting all the latin talent then you’re gaurenteed to get the odd late bloomer (21/22 etc, all the best footballers can play for the country much younger to get locked) star changing his allegiance.


      They used youth rep selection for locking national elifibilty at one point etc. Then later only counted residency after the age of 18 (make clubs/nations like in this case wait even longer).


      That’s what I’m talking about, not changing allegiance in rugby (were it can only be captured by the senior side), where it is still the senior side. Oh yeah, good point about CJ, so in most cases we probably want kids to be able to switch allegiance, were say someone like Lemoto could rep Tonga (if he wasn’t so good) but still play for Australia’s seniors, while in someone like Kite’s (the last aussie kid to go to France) case he’ll be French qualified via 5 years residency at the age of 21, so France to lock him up before Aussie even get a chance to select him. But if we use footballs regulations, who I’m suggesting WR need to get their a into g replicating, he would only start his 5 years once he turns 18 or whatever, meaning 23 yo is as soon as anyone can switch, and when if they’re good enough teams like NZ and Aus can select them (France don’t give a f, they select anybody just to lock them).

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