The character arc of Waisale Serevi
Born 20 May 1968 in Suva, Fiji, raised in a modest home where the first rugby ball was an empty detergent bottle. Between then and now sit a boy turned away for being too small, a Hong Kong final lost by two points, two Rugby World Cup Sevens titles won as captain of Fiji, a place in the Hall of Fame, and a move to teach the game in a nation still new to it. The line below draws the story so far, in order.
Tap the line to pluck it. Hover or tap any mark for its card. Drawn from the public record of his life; the sources are at the foot of the page.
Who is Waisale Serevi?
Told he was too small, he became the Wizard.
He grew up near Suva with no rugby balls in the area, so the children played with empty detergent bottles and plastic bottles. When he came to a club, the size of him kept him off the field for a year or two, because he was small for a game that asks for speed, strength and stamina. His answer was not to fight for size. He found the sevens code, the wide open version with seven a side, where a small quick player has room, and in his own words he found it easier there to make the big boys look funny.
From a first Fiji cap in 1989 he became the player others measured themselves against, the one they called the Wizard. The line does not run straight up. In 1996 Fiji lost the Hong Kong final to New Zealand by two points, on the biggest annual stage the sevens game has. A year later he captained a young side written off as schoolchildren to the 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens title, and in 2005, captain again, he lifted the same cup at the same ground. Later, back home as national coach, he was let go early in 2009, and the work of teaching moved to other countries.
What he preaches, in his own words rather than a slogan, is hard work and faith and self belief, the three things that carried a boy no one would pick. His line is worth reading because the thing that was supposed to stop it, being told he was too small, is the thing he says opened the door, once he found the field wide enough to prove it.
The moments
Waisale Serevi's timeline.
The 1980s
A ball made of bottles
Everyday. A modest home near Suva, no rugby balls in the area, so empty detergent bottles stood in for one.
Told he was too small
Setback, and it changed his direction. At his club the size of him kept him off the field for a year or two. He looked for a field with more room.
Bulk up, or master sevens
Crossroads, decided.
The paths laid out: master the sevens game, taken, or chase the fifteens size. He became the greatest sevens player the game has seen, with World Cup Sevens titles in 1997 and 2005.
First cap for Fiji
Milestone. The small boy no one would pick now wore the national jersey, the first of thirty nine Test caps.
The 1990s
The Hong Kong final lost
Setback, and it changed his direction. The biggest annual stage in sevens, and it slipped away by two points.
Won the World Cup Sevens
Milestone, and it changed everything. Captain of a young side written off as schoolchildren, and champions of the world in Hong Kong.
The 2000s
A second world title
Milestone, and it changed everything. Eight years on, captain again, and again lifting the cup at the same ground.
Fiji win their first series
Milestone. Player and coach at once, and the season title came home to Fiji for the first time.
Playing days wind down
Everyday. Thirty nine Test caps and three fifteens World Cups behind him, the boots came off.
Let go as Fiji coach
Setback, and it changed his direction. The homecoming role ended early, and the work of teaching the game moved to other countries.
The 2010s
Into the Hall of Fame
Milestone. The game he was once told he was too small for now kept his name for good.
The 2020s
Stay home, or teach abroad
Crossroads, decided.
The paths laid out: coach India, men and women, taken, or keep to the familiar. By 2026 he was leading India into the Asia sevens series, still growing the game.
Named India head coach
Milestone, and it changed his direction. Taking the game to a nation still new to it, men and women both, the King of Sevens as their coach.
Growing the game onward
Everyday. Still coaching India into the 2026 Asia sevens, teaching the small boys what the small boy learned.
The line reaches today still adding to itself, which is why it is drawn now rather than at the end. What it has set moving is already everywhere: an island nation that plays sevens like no other, and every small child who was told they were too small and decided to make the field wider instead.
In his words
Quotes by Waisale Serevi
When I started playing, there were no rugby balls in our area, so we just used empty detergent bottles, or plastic water bottles.
I found it easier to make the big boys look funny on the field.
It was through sheer hard work, plus the blessing of whom I believe is the source of power for me, God.
Your turn
Every story draws a unique line.
His is nearly six decades in and still teaching. Yours is already further along than you think, and drawing it takes about three minutes.
Sources
- Wikipedia, "Waisale Serevi".
- World Rugby, "Waisale Serevi: The Fijian magician".
- World Rugby Hall of Fame, inductee profile: Waisale Serevi.
- Planet Rugby, "Serevi: from detergent bottles to King of Sevens".
- South China Morning Post, on Fiji and the 1997 Rugby World Cup Sevens.
- Olympics.com, "Waisale Serevi named head coach of the India rugby sevens teams", June 2024.