The Fiji Rugby Union has sacked world-renown rugby player, Waisale Serevi, as the coach of the country's Rugby Sevens team.
According to Fiji Times Online, the announcement was made last week by the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) chairman, Keni Dakuidreketi, who said at a press conference that 'the decision was taken for the benefit of the players and for Fiji' and that the FRU was "left with no option but to sack Serevi because he was not a team player. No one is indispensable".There had been differences between Serevi and the board over the recent team selection and Serevi had expressed his disappointment on the exclusion of some players which he had chosen.
The FRU makes the final decision on team selection.
Last week, police officers were guarding the FRU house after threats were received to burn down the FRU house following the announcement of Serevi's termination.
Serevi is one of Fiji's and also the region's most well-known and highly regarded rugby sevens players and has had an impressive career as both player and coach in the country's sevens team.
Meanwhile, the man who is said to be the best sevens coach and highly respected in the world of rugby, New Zealand coach, Gordon Tietjens, said Serevi's sacking 'could be a big blunder and return to haunt Fiji on the sevens rugby front'.
Tietjens and Serevi have met time and again as rivals in the game but Tietjens 'said he still had a lot of respect for one of his greatest rivals' and that 'to sack a man of Serevi's caliber could come back to haunt Fiji, especially with the Wellington Sevens starting in a week and the defence of the World Cup to follow'.
"He has a lot to offer Fiji Serevi has earned the respect and reputation as a player and with his expertise Fiji can go a long way."
According to the report, apart from Tietjens, 'Serevi is the only coach to have won the International Rugby Board Sevens World Series in 2005/2006 season'.
'While the FRU did not give Serevi the full mandate to select his team, Tietjens said it was wrong for any coach not to have the final say in the selection'.
According to the report, Tietjens stated that he does not have selectors but uses a few advisors who give him details about players.
"However, the final say is mine. I do not have any interference. It just does not work with the coach not having his own way to pick his players because he is the one who will work with the players."