United States, New Zealand, Fiji and South Africa are ‘fearsome four’ in Rio Olympics

Paul Radley looks at the Olympic pedigree of four teams and what sevens being in the summer games might mean to them.

Fiji, in white, will be one of the exciting teams to watch in Dubai and Rio de Janeiro. Karim Sahib / AFP

UNITED STATES

Olympic pedigree Superpower

Position in 2012 medals table 1st

Sevens pedigree Outsiders

Position in 2014/15 series 6th

Verdict Successful Olympians always talk about timing their preparation to peak at the right time. And there is no more successful Olympic nation than the United States. At the start of a season that will culminate in the debut appearance at the Games, the last team to win a World Sevens Series trophy was ... the United States. Coincidence? Possibly. The Americans were incredible in how they played to win the London Sevens at the end of last season, but it remains their lone series trophy to date. Reprising that success will be difficult, either on the regular circuit or at Rio 2016. However, they have proved they can do it, and in Mike Friday, the former England and Kenya coach, they have one of the savviest sevens minds around.

NEW ZEALAND

Olympic pedigree Contenders

Position in 2012 medal table 15th

Sevens pedigree Superpower

Position in 2014/15 series 3rd

Verdict New Zealand have missed out on winning Commonwealth Games gold in sevens only once in five attempts. In 16 seasons of the World Series, they have won 12 titles. Anyone else winning a major title is a bit like rain in Dubai: it does happen, but it is a shock when it does. "Olympic gold medal is probably the pinnacle of most sports worldwide," said Scott Curry, the captain. "Growing up playing rugby, you never thought you would get a chance to go to an Olympics or win an Olympic medal. "Kids growing up nowadays playing rugby and sevens have a realistic chance to go to an Olympic Games and compete for a medal. I definitely think it is the pinnacle of our sport now. It is a pretty exciting time to be involved."

READ ALSO: Foes in Dubai, comrades in Rio

FIJI

Olympic pedigree Nil

Position in 2012 medal table No medals

Sevens pedigree Regular winners

Position in 2014/15 series Champions

Verdict To use an arbitrary example, long and middle distance running is an national obsession in Kenya. As such, the African country has a definite Olympic pedigree. Compare that to Fiji, where that pedigree is non-existent. Rugby sevens is the national obsession. Winning the annual Hong Kong Sevens had always provided the greatest incentive for a sportsman in Fiji, until now. Has the prospect of gold in Rio superseded Hong Kong in importance to Fijians? "For us it has, because our country has never won an Olympic medal of any sort," Osea Kolinisau, the Fiji captain, said. "Now we have a chance of getting the first Olympic medal. We have the prospect of getting that. That is a big thing in Fiji and everyone is looking forward to it."

SOUTH AFRICA

Olympic pedigree Moderate

Position in 2012 medal table 23rd

Rugby Sevens pedigree Regular winners

Position in 2014/15 series 2nd

Verdict In 2014, South Africa stopped New Zealand from winning gold for the first time since sevens was introduced into the Commonwealth Games, in 1998. The Blitzboks are one of only three teams – Fiji and Samoa being the other two – to have stopped New Zealand from winning series titles in the past, too. All that has been achieved via a group of players dedicated to the sevens format. The likes of Cecil Afrika and Branco du Preez have become stars without feeling the need to move on from the abbreviated format. The advent of sevens an Olympic sport, though, has led to a variety of big names from the XVs game making them available for selection. South Africa will be even more potent if the likes of Bryan Habana and Damian de Allende are Rio bound.

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