Rio gold motivator
AS fans count hours to the Tokyo Olympic Games, I start with my build-up, and today I recap the moments that united Fijians as Fiji won the gold medal in Rio.
Those who understand sevens will know too well what happened when our boys won the grand finale.
Sevens had come, gone and undoubtedly left a positive mark on Rio.
The thrill and freshness of the women’s competition, which was won by a well-drilled Australia side, was built upon as the men rolled in and Fiji was simply a class apart.
Drilled, banned from alcohol and on a mobile phone ban as per coach Ben Ryan’s rules, Fiji’s first Olympic medal provided World Rugby with a fairy-tale ending to the sport’s position on a new platform.
Fiji’s master class act in the final left Great Britain shellshocked, and they finished with silver in the inaugural men’s rugby sevens.
Fiji beat them 43-7 to claim gold – the country’s first ever Olympic medal.
Pre-tournament favourites Fiji was imperious from the opening whistle.
Our boys dominated possession and ran in five tries by the break, with Jerry Tuwai, Osea Kolinisau, Leone Nakarawa, Jasa Veremalua and Vatemo Ravouvou crossing.
Great Britain looked shellshocked and Fiji added two more tries, with Dan Norton’s score little consolation.
Great Britain was unbeaten in the competition going into the final, which they reached with a narrow 7-5 win over second seeds South Africa.
Fiji started the tournament as top seeds after winning the previous two HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series championships, while the British side came together as a team in May.
Fiji’s PM said that the sevens gold was history in the making.
Our first Olympic medal was celebrated wildly at the final whistle in front of the prime minister.
An emotional Ben Ryan had this to say, “I’m smiling - it probably stops me from crying. The team saved the best until last. They played some staggeringly good stuff. We wanted to showcase the way Fijian sport can be played and wanted to put smiles on everyone’s faces. We made it our point that we were going to enjoy this because that’s the best way we play. The entire population - towns and villages will be under siege in Fiji now. I’ll consider what I do now, but Fiji sevens always knew I’d step away for a while now. But hey, I’ll be the first Fiji sevens coach to not be sacked.”
Fiji captain Osea Kolinisau shared, “I told the boys when we were up at the podium, ‘Is this even happening? Are we gold medal winners?’ I never dreamt of being an Olympian let alone being a medalist, let alone being a gold medalist.”
On the celebration plans and Osea added: “McDonald’s. We’ve been seeing it in the Olympic Village, but we weren’t allowed to go. The boys have been saying, ‘OK, you stay there, McDonald’s. When we finish from here we are coming for you.’ I’m really looking forward to having a Big Mac right now.”
According to World Rugby president and former England captain Bill Beaumont, rugby sevens’ first appearance in the Olympics Games had been fantastic, and the sport’s inclusion in the Games had been widely praised. Beaumont added, “It has just been such a fantastic six days. In rugby, we tend to think that we know it all, and you come to events that are far bigger than anything we would normally stage, and to be a part of it has just been fantastic. Also, for us to show the Olympic family what we can do with our sport, and in a market that wouldn’t be a traditional rugby market. We’ve had an opportunity, and we thank the IOC for that.”
2016 is history, but it should be used as a motivational factor to spur or boys to defend the Rio Olympics gold medal – a tough task, but it’s not impossible.
We have, on paper, a formidable outfit with big names.