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Fourteen years after stepping on Kenyan soil as Safari Sevens chief guest, Waisale Serevi is back as the Russian men’s 7s coach for this year’s edition slated for October 18-20.
The Fijian legend is widely considered to be the greatest rugby sevens player in the history of the game.
Nicknamed “The Wizard” and “King of Sevens” during his playing days, Serevi featured in four Rugby World Cup 7s in 1993, 1997, 2001 and 2005. He won the 1997 and 2005 titles.
Serevi also bagged silver at the Commonwealth Games in 1998 in which Fiji taught Kenya some rugby lessons by demolishing them 71-0 in a Group “B” match.
He won another silver at the Commonwealth Games and 2002 and before settling for bronze in 2006 games.
Serevi played in the World Sevens Series since its inception in 1999. After lifting the 2005 Rugby World Cup Sevens crown, Serevi was appointed player-coach of the Fiji Sevens national team.
He led Fiji to victory in the 2005-2006 season and it became the second team to win the World Sevens Series. New Zealand had clinched the first six titles.
Serevi also represented Fiji in 15-a-side rugby at the 1991, 1999, and 2003 Rugby World Cups and played professionally in Japan, England and France.
But after two decades at the top, Serevi’s life turned for the worst after he was sacked by Fiji in 2009.
In April last year, South China Morning Post reported that Serevi battled depression and alcoholism after becoming broke.
It added, “After an ill-fated attempt at coaching Papua New Guinea – the home and salary he was promised never eventuated – it was a trip to Vancouver to play for a Fijian invitational team that proved life-changing for Serevi.”
Fast forward to November 2018, and Serevi was confirmed as the new head coach for the Russian men’s Sevens team.
While giving Serevi the top job, the Russia Rugby Union tasked the Fijian with returning the team to the World Rugby Sevens Series and qualifying for 2020 Olympic Games.
Serevi will be seeking some kind of redemption after a tough year since Russia will not be part of the 2019-2020 World Rugby Sevens Series.
The Russians lost 47-0 in quarter-final stage of the World Series qualifier in April this year in Hong Kong to Ireland who clinched the solitary ticket on offer.
