Former 7s stars demand change
PRESSURE continues to mount on Fiji Airways Fiji 7s head coach Ben Gollings as the team faced another disappointing exit and a consistent winless run in the HSBC SVNS Series.
Ever since Gollings took over the team on January 1, 2022, he has only been able to win one tournament title in the series, apart from the World Cup.
It was also in 2022 that Fiji last stood on the podium with the Toulouse 7s trophy in their hands.
Nineteen tournaments later, the Fiji 7s team’s dismal performance in the series continues, with Fijians and former players raising their concerns especially with the Olympics gold on the line come July in Paris, France.
While Gollings called for patience, former players who bled for the legacy that Fiji 7s is known for internationally are loudly and publicly calling for his removal.
The Stonewriters Legacy group, led by former Fiji 7s star Isake Katonibau, wants the change to happen now.
“We have made a video, and we want to tell the Fiji Rugby Union to remove Ben Gollings and bring in Osea Kolinisau. Osea was coaching the Chinese women’s team two years ago and they won the Asia Games, Ben Gollings coached the Sri Lankan team, and they did not even make the quarterfinals so that’s the difference,” Katonibau said in an interview with this newspaper.
“Osea has coached a team to win a competition, he has also played the game, he knows how to win as he won the Olympics gold and the World Series. Ben doesn’t know how to win, and his vibration affects the players; right now the players need confidence.
“We are passionate about our team because we bled for this country, we bled for that jersey, and we are standing and voicing out, telling FRU to change the coach because we still have time to change everything. If Osea makes it or not, he deserves it because he has been there and he is a Fijian as well rather than bringing somebody who did not take part in setting the reputation and legacy of Fiji to come up and throw everything down the drain and yet we he is still given the opportunity to finish the job.
“If it is a contractual obligation, if they can’t sack him, then pay him out, he has to go.”
Katonibau did not hold back his passion for the white jersey as well as his frustration of where the team is headed.
“It hurts when we see the team that we built, that we are passionate about to lose like this in the series.”
In the video the Stonewriters posted on social media platform META, former Fiji 7s stars and Olympians including Asaeli Tuvuaka, Vatemo Ravouvou, Alasio Naduva, Pio Tuwai, Livai Ikanikoda, Paula Dranisinukula, Josua Vici, Joeli Lutumailagi, Setareki Bituniyata, Ulaiyasi Lawavou and Waqabaca Kotobalavu called for Olympic gold medal winning captain, Osea Kolinisau to coach the Fiji 7s team.