Former Fiji 7s captain Isake Katonibau has voiced his unwavering support for Osea Kolinisau, the head coach of the Fiji men’s 7s team. Having played alongside Kolinisau during their time together in the HSBC Sevens World Series under the guidance of coach Ben Ryan, Katonibau believes Kolinisau has made remarkable progress in enhancing the team’s performance.
During a recent conversation at Bidesi Park in Suva, where he was assisting a local rugby team in preparation for a tournament, Katonibau commended Kolinisau’s coaching skills. He stated, “Oscar (Osea) Kolinisau has been doing a remarkable, really good job with the Fiji 7s team.” Notably, he pointed to the evident improvements in the team’s performance over the past two years, particularly highlighting their impressive semi-final run at the Dubai 7s, where they narrowly lost to New Zealand with a score of 21-24.
Katonibau specifically referenced the team’s advancements in both defensive and offensive strategies since Kolinisau took the helm, particularly focusing on their alignment during offloading plays, which has been crucial to their on-field success. While Katonibau acknowledges the scope for further development, he remains optimistic about Kolinisau’s leadership and the team’s continued growth.
With the Cape Town 7s set to commence tomorrow, Katonibau has extended his best wishes to the national team and stressed the significance of mental preparation and recovery for the players. Fiji last prevailed at the Cape Town 7s in 2018, when they secured a 29-15 victory against the United States in the cup final.
Looking forward to their upcoming matches, Fiji will compete against South Africa, Great Britain, and New Zealand, with their opening pool match against the hosts scheduled for Saturday at 10:44 PM. As excitement builds around the tournament, there remains a hopeful perspective that the national team will end their seven-year cup trophy drought.