[Source: https://www.world.rugby/news]

Fiji sevens coach Ben Gollings says the team is consistently improving each time they play, and this is seen with the number three ranking on the World Rugby Sevens Series points table.

The Fijian side has not won a single tournament this season and with two tournaments left in series, the pressure is on for the team to turn things around and get automatic qualification for the Olympic Games next year.

Gollings says he knows that the fans’ desire for gold at every tournament but the former England international states that things don’t always go according to plan.

“I think the good thing is that we are keeping the consistency in that 3rd spot and in the last two weeks we actually put ourselves 18-19 points ahead of who the contenders are in 4th spot, and I think the real positive is that we came away with a silver and a bronze. The key is that we should always be medaling.”

This season has been a challenging one for the team, with a lack of tournament wins causing disappointment among fans but coach Gollings has called on Fijians to remain positive.

He says competition in the abbreviated code has intensified, with other teams catching up to the Fiji 7s’ level of play.

But Gollings also stresses that there is a bigger picture to all this which is just not about the Olympic Games next year.

“I inherited an Olympic program, but I did not inherit much, and I want to try and change that so that for the future to come there’s a platform and a foundation in place as I said is going to really support these players.”

The 7s coach also identified discipline as a key issue and has spoken to the players about improving in this area.

The team will break for a few days before they hit the ground running again in preparation for the Toulouse 7s which takes place on the 12th and 14th of next month.