The spotlight on the Fiji 7s team continues as we slowly approach the first ever 7s competition in the Olympics next week.

Fiji 7s stories have been featured on the CNN, Eurosport, Indian Express, and other French, US, Australian and NZ media.

The Telegraph in the UK has today featured an article on coach, Ben Ryan and how Fiji has prepared for Rio.

The article talks about the early part of Ben Ryan’s tenure when the team could not afford petrol for the team bus or even water for training sessions.

Now the government has doubled the team’s funding to about $1.5 million, which is still less than a quarter of what some other teams going to Rio operate on.

Ryan says the government has backed the team this year because they see the gold medal as having all sorts of ripple effects on the economy.

He says the government is right as it will put the country on the map.

He says Fiji would have this moment where most of the rugby world and most of the sports world would be fixated on that Olympic final.

Ben Ryan says if Fiji won, it would fill them with immense pride.

He says that Fiji is a happy nation and proud but it would give them even more happiness.

Ryan says we are not without our problems in Fiji but if you can have role models that are winning gold medals and showing that they can be the best in the world against teams with vastly bigger budgets and resources that can make a huge difference to the nation and to the kids.

He says it would start a legacy, not just for rugby but for this hugely athletic nation.

The Telegraph says that virtually every player in the squad comes from humble origins.

Jerry Tuwai learnt to play on a roundabout while Masivesi Dakuwaqa, who is blind in one eye, was an airport security guard when he was spotted by Ryan.

Ryan says they are literally all like that.

He says it is a very humbling experience to go to see where they live and see how much it means to them and their families.

Ben Ryan says he also dropped a number of star players over the last three years for behaviour that they have not found acceptable.

He says they know if they cross the line and have a drink after a tournament or miss a training session then they are out.

He says that’s making them face the consequences of their actions.

Ryan accepts Fiji’s No 1 status will count for little in Rio.

It is a curious state of affairs that the favourites operate with an underdog mentality in their search of immortality.

He says that these players will be remembered forever if they bring that gold home.

Ryan says they will get statues, they will be made ministers and the party will last until 2017.