The Vodafone Fijian 7s team will be having a dress rehearsal for the Rio Olympic Games in August in their title defence of the Hong Kong Sevens tournament this weekend, says coach Ben Ryan in an interview with World Rugby.

“We’re here in Hong Kong and this is a mini peak for everyone I’m sure, a bit of a dress rehearsal for the Olympics, a litmus test to see if everything we’re looking to do is falling into place,” Ryan said.

“It’s amazing how time has flown by. It only seems like yesterday that it was the start of the series and now today we are four months away from the Olympic Games, which is hugely exciting.”

Ryan believes they are on track for their title defence this weekend.

“I think every other team is going to be looking for a win in Hong Kong, to give them that confidence to know that when the pressure comes on you can deliver. So far the boys are in great shape and they want to defend their title this weekend,” Ryan said.

7S on the radio

Ryan strongly believes with the country going through the struggles following the devastation of TC Winston and the recent TC Zena will boost the players’ performance this weekend.

“The country was shaken to its core. Houses and lives were torn apart and Fiji’s sevens players were not spared,” Ryan said pr

With power problems still in some areas, some Fijians will be forced to do the unthinkable this weekend and miss watching the sevens on TV.

Instead, coverage of their most beloved 7s tournament may be confined to the radio waves.

Speaking to World Rugby Ryan said: “Lots of people are going to go back to the old days of listening to the 7s on the radio this weekend and harp back to those glory days when those first teams played in Hong Kong,” Ryan said.

One player, Masivesi Dukuwaqa who incredibly manages to excel with one eye, usually works as airport security was given a garland of honor by his colleagues as he boarded the plane for his debut in Hong Kong.

“The team is the nation’s team and it means so much when we do well. They feel as though they have invested in the team and when the team is doing well everyone feels good,” Ryan said.

“Here there’s always a motivation to do well in Hong Kong but there’s an added motivation from back home and it’s pumping our tyres up.”

The Vodafone Fijians are pooled with Canada, Wales and Korea in Pool D. Fiji plays Canada in their first game tomorrow at 12:06am, second game against Korea at 4:24pm before they face Wales in their third game at 8:24pm.

The Vodafone Fijians currently lead the World Sevens Series with 106 points followed by South Africa with 105 and New Zealand at 104.

Fiji have won the Hong Kong 7s title 15 times: 1977,1978,1980,1984,1990,1991,1992,1997,1998,1999,2005,2009,2012,2013 and 2015.

The Ben Ryan coached-side beat New Zealand 33-19 in the main cup final last year.

Edited by Rusiate Mataika

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