SINGAPORE — Widely considered as one of the greatest rugby sevens players of all time, retired Fijian playmaker Waisale Serevi has urged Singapore to focus on the scaled-down, fast-paced version of the rugby seven-a-side game as it is where the Republic can do well on the world stage.

With the 15-a-side game seeing powerhouses such as England, South 

Africa and New Zealand dominating, there is “definitely a more level playing field” when it comes to rugby sevens, said the 47-year-old, nicknamed the “King of Sevens” at his prime. 

“I believe it can happen,” said Serevi, on the sidelines of a rugby clinic at the Padang yesterday for about 70 youngsters from Pei Tong Primary School, Montfort Secondary School and the Singapore Cricket Club rugby academy, hosted by HSBC World Rugby Singapore Sevens broadcasters FOX Sports and StarHub. 

“Take Kenya, for example. You wouldn’t see Kenya competing in 15s version of rugby (on the world stage). I don’t know if Kenya (can compete) against New Zealand or Australia, or Fiji in 15s. But look at them now.”

Kenya are now in eighth place in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens series circuit ahead of the Asian swing in Hong Kong this week and Singapore (April 16-17). 

“That shows if a small Asian team like Singapore can focus on sevens, it can excel (in it) quickly. I am not saying 15s is bad — it is a good game — but (sevens) is the best option for Asian teams to be recognised all over the world.” 

In Singapore, the national men’s and women’s rugby teams are made up of locally born and bred players, with no naturalised foreign players.

“If Australia and New Zealand are using boys from the Pacific Islands, I don’t see why Singapore can’t explore using Fijian boys,” said Serevi, a two-time Rugby World Cup Sevens winner (1997, 2005) whose success in the sevens game overshadowed his career in his national team’s 15s side.

“In the All Blacks team, a lot of them are Islander boys. So Singapore could have five Fijians in their team,” he said. “If they take it seriously, Japan, Singapore and other Asian nations have the opportunity to be competitive on the world level. You need the right mix of players, and the right coaching support.” 

Singapore did not qualify for the  Olympics, where Asia will be represented by Japan. The sport will make its return to the quadrennial event after a hiatus of 92 years — the United States were the last team to win a gold medal when rugby was last held in the Games in 1924 — and Serevi reckons the US are among the teams  standing in the way of his country winning that coveted gold medal. New Zealand and South Africa, as with every rugby event, will be the other main contenders.

“It will be a huge thing for Fiji (to win the gold medal), as Fiji has never won an Olympic medal of any kind,” said Serevi. “The gold medal chance for Fiji is definitely there. But there are a lot of teams out there getting their (best) players for the Olympics.” 

While rival nations are adding star men from their 15s teams, such as Sonny Bill Williams (New Zealand) and Quade Cooper (Australia), Fiji’s coach Ben Ryan  has yet to call up any of their 15s stars to his team. 

“I would love to see (lock forward Leone) Nakarawa being part of the Olympics team,” said Serevi, who said winning the Olympics gold is more important to Fiji than retaining the World Sevens Series title this year. 

“There is a lot of pressure for Fiji at the moment, but Ben will choose those who can withstand the pressure, capable of changing situations on the field in seconds, and delivering when it matters most.”