Serevi gives up playing to coach

Waisale Serevi: Fiji's Sevens legend has chosen coaching over playing

Fiji rugby sevens great Waisale Serevi has signed on a for a new term as Fiji's national coach but at the expense of his own playing career, the Fiji Times reported Wednesday.

Serevi will guide the Fiji team on the IRB Sevens World Series circuit from November and in the 2009 Sevens World Cup but his contract with the Fiji Rugby Union specifies he can only coach and cannot play.

"That's what they wanted and I'm alright with it," Serevi was quoted saying.

Serevi, who is regarded as one of the greatest sevens players of all time, led Fiji to its first world series title in 2006, adopting the role of player-coach.

He was captain of the Fiji squads that won the Rugby World Cup Sevens in 1997 and 2005.

Serevi was replaced as national coach in 2007 by his former assistant Jo Savou and briefly coached Taiwan before a public clamour for his re-appointment.

His re-appointment was announced by the Fiji Rugby Union in July but Serevi's contract was not signed until Tuesday because of differences over terms and conditions.

The Fiji Rugby Union's insistence he give up a playing role had been a sticking point.