Waisale Serevi

Who is Waisale Serevi?

Waisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi, born in Suva in 1968 and raised in a devout Christian family, is widely regarded as the greatest rugby sevens player in the history of the sport. Nicknamed "The Wizard" for his footwork and improvisation, he first represented Fiji at the Hong Kong Sevens in 1989 and went on to define the sevens game for nearly two decades. He captained and inspired Fiji to victory at the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1997 and again in 2005, won silver medals with Fiji at the 1998 and 2002 Commonwealth Games, and later served as player-coach, leading Fiji to the 2005-06 World Sevens Series title, the first time the series had been won by a team other than New Zealand. Alongside his sevens career, he played fifteen-a-side rugby for Fiji thirty-nine times between 1989 and 2003, representing his country at three Rugby World Cups, and had a professional club career in Japan, England, and France. Serevi was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame in recognition of his impact on the global game, and remains a revered figure in Fijian sport, credited with putting Fiji sevens rugby on the world map.

Sources: World Rugby Hall of Fame, "Waisale Serevi" inductee profile · Wikipedia, "Waisale Serevi" · World Rugby News, "Waisale Serevi: The Fijian magician"