Despite the soaring humidity, World Rugby Hall of Fame legend turned coach, Waisale Serevi, is thoroughly enjoying his time at India’s Rugby Sevens camp in Kolkata, West Bengal.
Serevi, affectionately known as the ‘King of Sevens,’ expressed his excitement on Facebook, stating that he is looking forward to the upcoming weeks of training both the men’s and women’s teams in the “City of Joy.”
“Grateful to God Almighty for the opportunity to lend a hand and help our family friends at Rugby India 7s Men’s and Women’s programme for the Asia Rugby Sevens Tournament in October.”
Serevi, a five-time Hong Kong Sevens winner with two Commonwealth Games silver medals and a bronze, is expected to bring invaluable experience to the Indian teams.
Rahul Bose, President of the Indian Rugby Football Union, said: “It is a privilege to welcome Waisale Serevi as the head coach of our national sevens teams. Our goal at Rugby India is to improve daily, and Serevi’s presence will undoubtedly push us closer to competing with the world’s best.”
Serevi, who is considered one of the greatest rugby sevens players of all time, expressed his honour at joining the Indian rugby family.
“From Japan, England, France, and the USA, I have now made my way to India. India and Fiji share a close bond, and it gives me great pride as a Fijian to help elevate rugby in India to the next level.”
Serevi’s illustrious career includes leading Fiji to their first World Series title as a player-coach in 2005-06 and coaching roles with the Russia rugby sevens teams, Rhinos Rugby USA, and Jamaica Sevens teams. His ability to change the course of a game with his dynamic playstyle made him a pivotal figure in the Fijian team, where he scored 1,310 points on the World Rugby Sevens Series and a record 297 points in Rugby World Cup Sevens tournaments.
Serevi’s involvement as Head Coach comes at a crucial time, as the Indian women’s rugby 7s team recently qualified for the Asian Games, ranked seventh in the continent. The prestigious quadrennial event will be held in Hangzhou, China, from September 23 to October 8, 2024.
According to the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) policy for team events, teams ranked up to eighth amongst participating Asian countries in the past year are eligible for the Asian Games.
Bose added that preparations are in full swing at the SAI Netaji Subhas Eastern Centre in Kolkata, where the team will train until September 20 before heading to Hangzhou.
“This is a historic moment for Indian Rugby. We are privileged to have our women’s team compete at the Asian Games. Seeded 7th, we hope they will exceed expectations.”
Over the past few years, the Indian team has shown consistent improvement on the Asian stage, securing multiple silver medals in the Asia Rugby 7s Trophy, the Asia Rugby U20 Championship, and the Asia Rugby U18 Championship.