World Rugby Hall of Famer Waisale Serevi, widely considered the greatest rugby sevens player of all time, has been appointed head coach of the Indian men’s and women’s teams. The Fijian, who enjoyed a long and successful career in both sevens and fifteen-a-side rugby, brings a wealth of experience and a winning mentality to his new role.
Serevi, affectionately known as the ‘King of Sevens’, is a global icon in the sport. He steered Fiji to their maiden world series title in his first year as player-coach in 2005-06 and has also coached teams in the USA, Jamaica, and Russia. He was a key advisor to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on the inclusion of Rugby Sevens in the Olympic Games.
Rahul Bose, President of Rugby India, expressed his excitement about Serevi’s appointment. “The core impetus for all of us at Rugby India is to do better today than we did yesterday. To go one step farther every day in our quest to compete with the world’s best,” he said. “It is a privilege for us to welcome Waisale Serevi as the Head Coach of the Indian National Sevens teams. We wish him the best and are excited to see him mold the future of Indian Rugby.”
Serevi himself is eager to contribute to the growth of rugby in India. “It is an honour and privilege for me to be part of the Rugby family in India, I am grateful and I thank god for the opportunity. From Japan, England, France, the USA, I have now made my way to India,” said Serevi. “Fourteen years ago, Rugby was relatively unknown in the USA, I’ve done a lot of work there. India today is at a similar crossroads. “India and Fiji hold a close relationship. It gives me great pride to be a Fijian coming to India, to help them take Rugby to the next level,” he added.
With Serevi’s guidance and expertise, India’s rugby program is poised to enter a new era of development and success. The nation’s rugby fans are undoubtedly excited to see what the future holds under the leadership of one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen.
