Tuesday 15 November 2016 10:41, UK
Fiji plan to make their feelings known to rugby union's world governing body after being overlooked at the World Rugby awards this week.
New Zealand won a hat-trick of titles at the awards in London on Sunday, including team of the year, player of the year (Beauden Barrett) and coach of the year (Steve Hansen).
Fiji's Sevens team, who won the country's first ever Olympic gold medal at Rio, were nominated for team of the year with their English coach, Ben Ryan, in the running for the top coach accolade, but were overlooked for both.
"While we respect the achievement of the All Blacks during the year, we strongly believe that the impact of the Fiji Sevens team winning back to back World 7s Series titles and more importantly winning the gold medal at the Rio Olympic Games had a far greater impact to the game of rugby globally," read a Fiji Rugby Union statement.
"We believe that our Sevens team with the meagre resources available to them has outperformed any other rugby team in 2016.
"The rugby world expects the All Blacks to do well every time because they have all resources available to them."
It was also upset that South Africa's Seabelo Senatla won the Sevens player of the year gong, instead of Osea Kolinisau.
"The impact Osea Kolinisau had on the game of Sevens in the last two seasons by far outclasses any performance by Seabelo Senatla and we are disappointed he was not awarded the Sevens best player of the year," it said.
Sevens rugby is Fiji's national sport and part of its culture. The gold medal success in Rio galvanised the country with thousands of fans lining the flag-bedecked streets of Nadi to catch a glimpse of their idols on their return.
