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Sevens Heaven: The Beautiful Chaos of Fiji’s Olympic Dream
SHORTLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR 2018
It is late summer 2013. Ben Ryan, a red-haired, 40-something, spectacle-wearing Englishman, is given 20 minutes to decide whether he wants to coach Fiji's rugby sevens team, with the aim of taking them to the nation's first-ever Olympic medal. He has never been to Fiji. There has been no discussion of contracts or salary. But he knows that no one plays rugby like the men from these isolated Pacific islands, just as no one plays football like the kids from the Brazilian favelas, or no one runs as fast as the boys and girls from Jamaica's boondocks. He knows too that no other rugby nation has so little - no money and no resources, only basic equipment and a long, sad history of losing its most gifted players to richer, greedier nations.
Ryan says yes. And with that simple word he sets in motion an extraordinary journey that will encompass witchdoctors and rugby-obsessed prime ministers, sun-smeared dawns and devastating cyclones, intense friendships and bitter rows, phone taps and wild nationwide parties. It will end in Rio with a performance that not only wins Olympic gold but reaches fresh heights for rugby union and makes Ben and his 12 players living legends back home.
It is late summer 2013. Ben Ryan, a red-haired, 40-something, spectacle-wearing Englishman, is given 20 minutes to decide whether he wants to coach Fiji's rugby sevens team, with the aim of taking them to the nation's first-ever Olympic medal. He has never been to Fiji. There has been no discussion of contracts or salary. But he knows that no one plays rugby like the men from these isolated Pacific islands, just as no one plays football like the kids from the Brazilian favelas, or no one runs as fast as the boys and girls from Jamaica's boondocks. He knows too that no other rugby nation has so little - no money and no resources, only basic equipment and a long, sad history of losing its most gifted players to richer, greedier nations.
Ryan says yes. And with that simple word he sets in motion an extraordinary journey that will encompass witchdoctors and rugby-obsessed prime ministers, sun-smeared dawns and devastating cyclones, intense friendships and bitter rows, phone taps and wild nationwide parties. It will end in Rio with a performance that not only wins Olympic gold but reaches fresh heights for rugby union and makes Ben and his 12 players living legends back home.
320 pages, Paperback
Published February 18, 2020
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August 3, 2021
Fiji. Small island nation. No Olympic medals in history. Until…
An English coach accepts the challenge of providing some finesse to a naturally talented group of players. There are many obstacles: the players have no contracts (so they get poached), the nation has talent across the archipelago (logistics), and there are some cultural differences.
There were some interesting insights into Fijian people. They seem very community driven and people-oriented. They are resilient in the face of tragedy. For example a cyclone destroys many homes and their response to this is to start rebuilding for everyone.
The coach (and author) seems like a nice character. He gave more than most sportspeople give during interviews. He added two or three personal-ish stories about himself. One about his relationship and another over a school friend he lost contact with. But…you were left wanting more. Or none. The focus was unresolved issues. Us reader need closure!
So I think it was good book, very insightful, I learned a lot about Fiji. More focus on the author’s own demons would have added another dimension (for the sequel hint hint).
I’m also glad I read this during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where Fiji won gold again. Go Fiji.
An English coach accepts the challenge of providing some finesse to a naturally talented group of players. There are many obstacles: the players have no contracts (so they get poached), the nation has talent across the archipelago (logistics), and there are some cultural differences.
There were some interesting insights into Fijian people. They seem very community driven and people-oriented. They are resilient in the face of tragedy. For example a cyclone destroys many homes and their response to this is to start rebuilding for everyone.
The coach (and author) seems like a nice character. He gave more than most sportspeople give during interviews. He added two or three personal-ish stories about himself. One about his relationship and another over a school friend he lost contact with. But…you were left wanting more. Or none. The focus was unresolved issues. Us reader need closure!
So I think it was good book, very insightful, I learned a lot about Fiji. More focus on the author’s own demons would have added another dimension (for the sequel hint hint).
I’m also glad I read this during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where Fiji won gold again. Go Fiji.
August 30, 2018
For rugby fans around the world "Fiji style" has long been synonymous with exhilarating plays made at frenetic speed by athletic freaks. A team that seemed to have no sense of occasion and played for the sheer joy of the game whether it was a final or a first round pool match. Much like the reverence football fans hold for Brazil, Fiji was everyone's second team, they played a game full of flair and passion. Like Brazil, Fiji's best talent has been sold off globally to the highest bidder while most of the country continues to live in abject poverty. Unlike Brazil, Fiji is a tiny island nation with little to no resources to run a top flight sports team and a population a 200th the size of Brazil. They do however have huge corruption and political unrest and a national obsession with the sport that makes coaching the national team an almost impossible task.
Cue Ben Ryan. Spat out by a political bureaucracy in English rugby that had stunted his growth as a coach. He takes on a job that is equal parts dream and nightmare. What he, his team of coaches, and his players achieve is nothing short of greatness.
I set out to read this book for two reasons. One was to discover the facts and insight behind a team I have loved since I was a boy and what I felt was the best story from the Rio Olympics. The other was to look for clues to New Zealand's demise at the Olympics. For years New Zealand had been dominant on the world stage and Fiji our only rivals. Heading into 2015 we had won 12 of the 15 Sevens World Series. Ben Ryan delivered answers for me on both fronts.
- All the technology and sports science behind some of the world's best teams is completely superfluous. Certainly, a lot of it can help and big nations with big budgets want to give their country the best chance but in many cases it creates fragile players who are too precious to deal with hardship on or off the field. Excellent results can still be achieved with far fewer resources.
- Great teams all have a power/meaning/goal bigger than winning each game or tournament. In Fiji's case they had the devastation of Cyclone Winston to remind them how life is more important and refocus them on the people back home they were playing for. They also had an earthly connection with God that resulted in multiple daily prayer sessions and a dedication to god before each game. Ryan doesn't make the connection explicit but I feel like much of what he says leads into a quote of his later in the book.
"Professional sports teams spent fortunes trying to get to this state: a unity of purpose, a relaxation no matter what challenge lay ahead, a happiness in how we were getting there."
- The Lotu which was their prayer session was instrumental in synchronising the players, focusing them and uniting them with a single goal. This is not to suggest all teams need to have some religious ceremony but that ritual involving group speaking and focusing together is immensely important before a game.
- There is such thing as too much training and conditioning. Ryan made several cutting observations of Gordon Tietjens the coach of New Zealand's Sevens team and his methods. He believes that Tiejtjens overtrains his team. Initially NZ was the only team doing heavy conditioning (Tiejtjens is famous for making all of his players run until they vomit) and this meant they were always the best conditioned. But once other nations also started conditioning this edge was lost. Ryan believes that the heavy contact game of rugby requires a reduced workload going into the tournament and that training should be focused on sprinting on top of your base level of fitness. He felt that many of NZ's injuries in tournaments were down too much training.
- There's an interesting excerpt from Herb Elliott (An Australian middle distance runner and the greatest of his time). The quote is worth copying out, here he is talking about why his coach, Percy Cerutty was so good.
"The main thing about Percy is that he coaches your spirit. The body itself may only need two months' training to get fit. The rest of the time you're building up your spirit - call it guts, or some inner force - so that it will go to work for you without you even thinking about it."
Ryan clearly sees his conditioning of his team as achieving this goal.
- He also felt that most other teams mostly trained at 90% in long sessions and this meant when they needed to turn it on in the big moment they found it hard to shift up a gear. Meanwhile he made sure Fiji did a lot of training at 100% so they knew they could get there in a match.
- There was a very interesting altercation between Ryan and his rival Tietjens. Tietjens spotted a tray of cupcakes in the dining hall at the Las Vegas Sevens and lost his cool.
"A tray had been left out in the dining hall, nutritional information on a card next to it, he spotted it and let rip. This is a disgrace. Do you think this is what athletes should be eating? The cook standing there in the blast zone, wearing a chastened expression, hauled in by his intimidated superiors for another reprimand later on before World Rugby gave Gordon a warning of his own."
Ryan was known for letting his team eat junk food after match. Knowing that you have to have fun, joy and relaxation as much as rigor, discipline and focus. He felt that players should be disciplined enough not to eat cupcakes but if they did no big deal.
- Ryan also talks about overcoming stereotypes, overcoming the thought that "you are who the dominant and powerful say you are." He had promising results as a middle distance runner at school but was deterred by a bad coach. He felt he had to break the mindset of his players and rebuild it just as much as he had to break and rebuild their fitness.
- Ryan talks about the importance of a good captain and a good captain-coach relationship. He talks about how the captain and coach form a ying yang of leadership. Both of them set the standards for the team but the captain needs to be the friend of players and have their finger on the pulse of the team and what goes on behind the scenes, knowing the true reasons behind player's excuses. The coach can't always be that person because every player is trying to impress the coach. together the coach and captain create an environment where players feel supported but also driven to learn and grow.
- Ryan discusses Jarryd Hayne's (a famous Australian rugby league player of Fijian descent) role in the team and how even though he ultimately wasn't good enough to make the team how much he helped and how it was interesting to see his hyper professional world mixing with the Fijian one.
- Ryan quotes the famous phrase "The standard you walk past is the standard you become". That seems to be underlying theme of both his leadership and what he feels helped the team finally achieve greatness. He saw this as the team's goal on the field, off the field. He talks about how this mantra is hard to follow when under fatigue but that is absolutely necessary.
- Ryan also talks about the difficulties but necessity of removing players from the group who either had huge egos and refused to be a team player, or who threatened the team's success with their own personal issues. He believes those agents have to be removed swiftly and completely. While he gave many players chances when it became to much they had to be taken out. His final comment on this is that "Talent is a coach's to harness but a player's to waste".
-Ryan talks about the team looking for flow or soli-a. The idea was that they would look for this flow in a match, passing the ball around feeling the opponent out, waiting for an opening, fully relaxed and calm. This seemed to me much like Barcelona in football. Sevens as a game allows teams to do that in a way that 15-a-side doesn't. They would keep probing, dangling the bait as Ryan calls it, waiting for a bite. And when it comes you strike decisively and at 100%.
- He also talks about how Fiji's game plan asks his players to take on quite a bit of risk but he would not be angry at his players if they made mistakes due to that risk. He says "A coach cannot condemn risk when it suits him yet celebrate its rewards when it comes off".
- Ryan also talks about how his half-time talks he would only do 2-3 important points. That he would say most of the stuff to his captain and it would then be repeated in Fijian to the team. So that the other teams who had assistants listening to the tv broadcast couldn't understand what they were saying. He said similar things about his pre-game speeches, keeping them simple and short. He ditched his pre-game speech for the Olympic final when he came in to see the players laughing and singing, realising it wasn't necessary and they already had everything they needed.
There's a lot of other things in this book, particularly exploring Fijian culture and the political difficulties there but those I felt were the most salient points. I would also mention what I feel are a few of the books shortcomings.
I felt that Ryan's narrative about his friend from school who goes off the rails and their paths diverge was a strange inclusion. Mainly because it wasn't really tied in with the main narrative at all. It had little to no relevance to the main story and it was frustrating to have to push through those bits to get back to the reason you were reading the book in the first place. Obviously a autobiography can include anything the writer wants but it did seem more like Ben coming to touch with his personal demons and making it about him as opposed to be being about the team.
There also was a little bit of arrogance detectable in the book. Certain interactions and discussions of other characters often leave you feeling that Ryan looked down on some people.
Lastly, I wish there was actually a bit more about the rugby, strategy and tactics. Certainly the book builds well to the Olympics and it also covers some wider political issues in setting the scene for the challenges that faced the team but it would have been nice to get inside the Fijian strategy even more.
As sports autobiographies go this is pretty good. Not quite on par with Agassi's Open or Lance Armstrong's It's not about the bike (even if that's now a work of fiction) but If you like rugby and especially if you like watching Fiji play, then you have to read this. If you are looking for a book on leadership, there are also some gems in here that show you leadership exists in all shapes and forms and that there are ways to lead that aren't always the normal ways. This is also a reasonable introduction to Fiji as a country, of course it would need to be followed up by some local narratives or experiences.
Cue Ben Ryan. Spat out by a political bureaucracy in English rugby that had stunted his growth as a coach. He takes on a job that is equal parts dream and nightmare. What he, his team of coaches, and his players achieve is nothing short of greatness.
I set out to read this book for two reasons. One was to discover the facts and insight behind a team I have loved since I was a boy and what I felt was the best story from the Rio Olympics. The other was to look for clues to New Zealand's demise at the Olympics. For years New Zealand had been dominant on the world stage and Fiji our only rivals. Heading into 2015 we had won 12 of the 15 Sevens World Series. Ben Ryan delivered answers for me on both fronts.
- All the technology and sports science behind some of the world's best teams is completely superfluous. Certainly, a lot of it can help and big nations with big budgets want to give their country the best chance but in many cases it creates fragile players who are too precious to deal with hardship on or off the field. Excellent results can still be achieved with far fewer resources.
- Great teams all have a power/meaning/goal bigger than winning each game or tournament. In Fiji's case they had the devastation of Cyclone Winston to remind them how life is more important and refocus them on the people back home they were playing for. They also had an earthly connection with God that resulted in multiple daily prayer sessions and a dedication to god before each game. Ryan doesn't make the connection explicit but I feel like much of what he says leads into a quote of his later in the book.
"Professional sports teams spent fortunes trying to get to this state: a unity of purpose, a relaxation no matter what challenge lay ahead, a happiness in how we were getting there."
- The Lotu which was their prayer session was instrumental in synchronising the players, focusing them and uniting them with a single goal. This is not to suggest all teams need to have some religious ceremony but that ritual involving group speaking and focusing together is immensely important before a game.
- There is such thing as too much training and conditioning. Ryan made several cutting observations of Gordon Tietjens the coach of New Zealand's Sevens team and his methods. He believes that Tiejtjens overtrains his team. Initially NZ was the only team doing heavy conditioning (Tiejtjens is famous for making all of his players run until they vomit) and this meant they were always the best conditioned. But once other nations also started conditioning this edge was lost. Ryan believes that the heavy contact game of rugby requires a reduced workload going into the tournament and that training should be focused on sprinting on top of your base level of fitness. He felt that many of NZ's injuries in tournaments were down too much training.
- There's an interesting excerpt from Herb Elliott (An Australian middle distance runner and the greatest of his time). The quote is worth copying out, here he is talking about why his coach, Percy Cerutty was so good.
"The main thing about Percy is that he coaches your spirit. The body itself may only need two months' training to get fit. The rest of the time you're building up your spirit - call it guts, or some inner force - so that it will go to work for you without you even thinking about it."
Ryan clearly sees his conditioning of his team as achieving this goal.
- He also felt that most other teams mostly trained at 90% in long sessions and this meant when they needed to turn it on in the big moment they found it hard to shift up a gear. Meanwhile he made sure Fiji did a lot of training at 100% so they knew they could get there in a match.
- There was a very interesting altercation between Ryan and his rival Tietjens. Tietjens spotted a tray of cupcakes in the dining hall at the Las Vegas Sevens and lost his cool.
"A tray had been left out in the dining hall, nutritional information on a card next to it, he spotted it and let rip. This is a disgrace. Do you think this is what athletes should be eating? The cook standing there in the blast zone, wearing a chastened expression, hauled in by his intimidated superiors for another reprimand later on before World Rugby gave Gordon a warning of his own."
Ryan was known for letting his team eat junk food after match. Knowing that you have to have fun, joy and relaxation as much as rigor, discipline and focus. He felt that players should be disciplined enough not to eat cupcakes but if they did no big deal.
- Ryan also talks about overcoming stereotypes, overcoming the thought that "you are who the dominant and powerful say you are." He had promising results as a middle distance runner at school but was deterred by a bad coach. He felt he had to break the mindset of his players and rebuild it just as much as he had to break and rebuild their fitness.
- Ryan talks about the importance of a good captain and a good captain-coach relationship. He talks about how the captain and coach form a ying yang of leadership. Both of them set the standards for the team but the captain needs to be the friend of players and have their finger on the pulse of the team and what goes on behind the scenes, knowing the true reasons behind player's excuses. The coach can't always be that person because every player is trying to impress the coach. together the coach and captain create an environment where players feel supported but also driven to learn and grow.
- Ryan discusses Jarryd Hayne's (a famous Australian rugby league player of Fijian descent) role in the team and how even though he ultimately wasn't good enough to make the team how much he helped and how it was interesting to see his hyper professional world mixing with the Fijian one.
- Ryan quotes the famous phrase "The standard you walk past is the standard you become". That seems to be underlying theme of both his leadership and what he feels helped the team finally achieve greatness. He saw this as the team's goal on the field, off the field. He talks about how this mantra is hard to follow when under fatigue but that is absolutely necessary.
- Ryan also talks about the difficulties but necessity of removing players from the group who either had huge egos and refused to be a team player, or who threatened the team's success with their own personal issues. He believes those agents have to be removed swiftly and completely. While he gave many players chances when it became to much they had to be taken out. His final comment on this is that "Talent is a coach's to harness but a player's to waste".
-Ryan talks about the team looking for flow or soli-a. The idea was that they would look for this flow in a match, passing the ball around feeling the opponent out, waiting for an opening, fully relaxed and calm. This seemed to me much like Barcelona in football. Sevens as a game allows teams to do that in a way that 15-a-side doesn't. They would keep probing, dangling the bait as Ryan calls it, waiting for a bite. And when it comes you strike decisively and at 100%.
- He also talks about how Fiji's game plan asks his players to take on quite a bit of risk but he would not be angry at his players if they made mistakes due to that risk. He says "A coach cannot condemn risk when it suits him yet celebrate its rewards when it comes off".
- Ryan also talks about how his half-time talks he would only do 2-3 important points. That he would say most of the stuff to his captain and it would then be repeated in Fijian to the team. So that the other teams who had assistants listening to the tv broadcast couldn't understand what they were saying. He said similar things about his pre-game speeches, keeping them simple and short. He ditched his pre-game speech for the Olympic final when he came in to see the players laughing and singing, realising it wasn't necessary and they already had everything they needed.
There's a lot of other things in this book, particularly exploring Fijian culture and the political difficulties there but those I felt were the most salient points. I would also mention what I feel are a few of the books shortcomings.
I felt that Ryan's narrative about his friend from school who goes off the rails and their paths diverge was a strange inclusion. Mainly because it wasn't really tied in with the main narrative at all. It had little to no relevance to the main story and it was frustrating to have to push through those bits to get back to the reason you were reading the book in the first place. Obviously a autobiography can include anything the writer wants but it did seem more like Ben coming to touch with his personal demons and making it about him as opposed to be being about the team.
There also was a little bit of arrogance detectable in the book. Certain interactions and discussions of other characters often leave you feeling that Ryan looked down on some people.
Lastly, I wish there was actually a bit more about the rugby, strategy and tactics. Certainly the book builds well to the Olympics and it also covers some wider political issues in setting the scene for the challenges that faced the team but it would have been nice to get inside the Fijian strategy even more.
As sports autobiographies go this is pretty good. Not quite on par with Agassi's Open or Lance Armstrong's It's not about the bike (even if that's now a work of fiction) but If you like rugby and especially if you like watching Fiji play, then you have to read this. If you are looking for a book on leadership, there are also some gems in here that show you leadership exists in all shapes and forms and that there are ways to lead that aren't always the normal ways. This is also a reasonable introduction to Fiji as a country, of course it would need to be followed up by some local narratives or experiences.
January 4, 2023
This was a perfectly fine book, the author seems like he genuinely cares about the players he coached and his experience in Fiji. I did learn a bit about Fijian culture as well and felt there was a level of respect there.
A couple of things keep me from rating it higher. While the writing is good, particularly for someone who isn’t a writer by trade, I found it hard to focus on and would find myself having to reread paragraphs, especially in the first half. I also thought there was little to no explanation of rugby terms or rugby sevens, so if you’re like me and reading this for the Fiji aspect rather than the sports aspect, you may struggle a little as well. Finally, something about his tone I felt was off putting, most notable the little chapter starters about his friend Noel. He spent most of the book showing how rosy his life and outlook and time coaching all were and had to wedge in some random bits about his friend who went to prison? Maybe I was just being cold hearted but I didn’t get the connection and found it a weird element.
A couple of things keep me from rating it higher. While the writing is good, particularly for someone who isn’t a writer by trade, I found it hard to focus on and would find myself having to reread paragraphs, especially in the first half. I also thought there was little to no explanation of rugby terms or rugby sevens, so if you’re like me and reading this for the Fiji aspect rather than the sports aspect, you may struggle a little as well. Finally, something about his tone I felt was off putting, most notable the little chapter starters about his friend Noel. He spent most of the book showing how rosy his life and outlook and time coaching all were and had to wedge in some random bits about his friend who went to prison? Maybe I was just being cold hearted but I didn’t get the connection and found it a weird element.
June 13, 2019
I loved this book - I sped through it like a Fijian with rugby ball in hand (or so it seemed to me). I think as a sports autobiography, it had the right amount of rugby and the right amount of life to give one an in depth exposure to a man who for 3 years devoted his life to Fijian rugby. Fascinating, moving, gripping and well deserving of the awards it's won.
January 3, 2023
Read around the world project - Fiji
Ben Ryan was Fiji's rugby coach when it won its first goal medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Sevens Heaven is a memoir of his time in Fiji, and how he got the players into the mental and physical shape needed to become world champions.
I appreciated how Ryan approached his new coaching role. Instead of applying the same techniques he used with players on England's rugby team, he remained flexible upon arrival in Fiji, committing himself to learning about Fijian culture and ways of life before applying this knowledge to his coaching. He seemed really empathetic and understanding of players' lives both on and off the field, and all-in-all a really good dude.
All that being said, this is a book all about rugby. And unfortunately, I started (and ended) this book with absolutely zero interest in that sport. I really struggled getting through Sevens Heaven purely for lack of interest in the subject matter, and unfortunately I don’t think the storytelling was engaging enough to get me invested.
For a sports book that DID manage to draw me into the storyline even though I had no interest in rowing, check out The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
Ben Ryan was Fiji's rugby coach when it won its first goal medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Sevens Heaven is a memoir of his time in Fiji, and how he got the players into the mental and physical shape needed to become world champions.
I appreciated how Ryan approached his new coaching role. Instead of applying the same techniques he used with players on England's rugby team, he remained flexible upon arrival in Fiji, committing himself to learning about Fijian culture and ways of life before applying this knowledge to his coaching. He seemed really empathetic and understanding of players' lives both on and off the field, and all-in-all a really good dude.
All that being said, this is a book all about rugby. And unfortunately, I started (and ended) this book with absolutely zero interest in that sport. I really struggled getting through Sevens Heaven purely for lack of interest in the subject matter, and unfortunately I don’t think the storytelling was engaging enough to get me invested.
For a sports book that DID manage to draw me into the storyline even though I had no interest in rowing, check out The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.
August 2, 2018
Probably the best autobiography I've read in recent years. An English rugby coach taking the job in the Pacific, away from home with a culture even more remote than the distance. Ben had to radically change the way he coached to bring out the best in the players on the way to their country's first ever Olympic medal. Everything he had dealt with during that run is in this book, including the heavy-handed Prime Minister of Fiji and players he let go or worked their way onto the team.
January 5, 2022
Read in a day. Probably best sport book ever read. Amazing story and journey
If you like sport, not necessarily Rugby, read this
If you like sport, not necessarily Rugby, read this
July 18, 2019
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
What a brilliant read.
From the first page you are sucked into the world of Fiji and sevens rugby.
It leaves you with a wonderful feel of Fiji as a country and the people who live there.
Superb.
What a brilliant read.
From the first page you are sucked into the world of Fiji and sevens rugby.
It leaves you with a wonderful feel of Fiji as a country and the people who live there.
Superb.
September 6, 2024
Loved this book, such a great story
December 16, 2024
I loved this book.
I think I have so much more respect for Ben as a coach because of how well he was able to capture Fijian culture - I don’t often (or ever) see Fijian representation. But it was really touching to see someone kevalagi try so hard to understand what it is to be Fijian. I read this to try become a better rugby player, and I found it super helpful, inspiring and honestly made me more appreciative of my coach and how hard they work. Five out of five, I’d recommend this to rugby players and people who know nothing about the sport :)
I think I have so much more respect for Ben as a coach because of how well he was able to capture Fijian culture - I don’t often (or ever) see Fijian representation. But it was really touching to see someone kevalagi try so hard to understand what it is to be Fijian. I read this to try become a better rugby player, and I found it super helpful, inspiring and honestly made me more appreciative of my coach and how hard they work. Five out of five, I’d recommend this to rugby players and people who know nothing about the sport :)
July 31, 2023
Incredible story about a magnificent country's journey in an incredible sport.
May 12, 2020
Just finished this amazing book. 5 ⭐️.
Incredible story of an English coach taking the Fiji rugby sevens team to Olympic gold in Rio.
Ben Ryan is the former coach of England. Used to all the riches - technology ,sports science and infrastructure support that money can buy. He then goes to this poor little country in the Pacific Ocean which has no money but lots of heart and raw talent. Don’t even have a proper ground to train and he’s not even being paid.
Instead of giving up or forcing his modern methods on them, Ben embraces the cultural practises and rites of Fijian life and adds just enough know how and discipline to turn them into an all-conquering side. As a team they achieve the peak state of having calm confidence and supreme self belief. It’s a masterful job which any coach, manager or CEO can be proud of.
Read it even if you know zilch about rugby. Lots to learn about team building, culture, leadership and the human spirit.
The book also reminds us that for all the advancements in technology, tactics, analytics and sports science, there is no substitute for team spirit and camaraderie and nothing beats the power of a relaxed calm mind in big game situations. Fast paced book like the Fijian team.
Incredible story of an English coach taking the Fiji rugby sevens team to Olympic gold in Rio.
Ben Ryan is the former coach of England. Used to all the riches - technology ,sports science and infrastructure support that money can buy. He then goes to this poor little country in the Pacific Ocean which has no money but lots of heart and raw talent. Don’t even have a proper ground to train and he’s not even being paid.
Instead of giving up or forcing his modern methods on them, Ben embraces the cultural practises and rites of Fijian life and adds just enough know how and discipline to turn them into an all-conquering side. As a team they achieve the peak state of having calm confidence and supreme self belief. It’s a masterful job which any coach, manager or CEO can be proud of.
Read it even if you know zilch about rugby. Lots to learn about team building, culture, leadership and the human spirit.
The book also reminds us that for all the advancements in technology, tactics, analytics and sports science, there is no substitute for team spirit and camaraderie and nothing beats the power of a relaxed calm mind in big game situations. Fast paced book like the Fijian team.
February 21, 2020
A fantastic read. i'd been putting it off because it was sad when Ben Ryan left Fiji and the 7s team behind him. But now I understand and wish him well. It's sad about Natalie but I hope Ben Ryan is happy. I remember the day of that olympic gold final. Fiji did stop and thinking about that day brings back so much pride. We go to defend that gold later this year. And no matter what happens Fiji will always have Rio 2016.
June 6, 2019
Ben Ryan has the courage to risk it all, eyeing the great reward. A leap of faith. Great sense of humour. An irrestible page turner.
February 10, 2020
Read while on a trip to Fiji and though I am not a big rugby fan I enjoyed the insights into modern Fiji life and culture.
May 31, 2018
I love watching rugby. I watched it with my Dad when I was little, in bars at Uni, and now I try to teach my kids what’s going on for the 10 minutes their attention is held! My experience has taught me that there are 3 almost universal rules to being a rugby fan;
...The commentators are almost always biased against your team
...In 15-a-side everyone loves watching the Barbarians (an international charity invitation team who play carefree entertaining rugby) and
...in 7-a-side rugby everyone’s first or second team is Fiji.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, 7-a-side rugby debuted and in the final Fiji beat Great Britain with a sublime display of entertaining, flowing and ruthless rugby. This book tells the journey of Englishman Ben Ryan who receives an unexpected tweet, goes through an unorthodox interview process and then coaches this wonderful team to 2 World Sevens Series and finally Fiji’s first Olympic medal.
This book is fascinating. Whether you are interested in rugby, the country of Fiji, Ryan’s philosophy of coaching or how a team which everyone loved watching went from mercurial to world-beaters, you will love this book. Even if you don’t like rugby I challenge you not to be inspired by the journey that you read about, the friendships, the highs and lows, and challenges overcome.
We follow Ben Ryan and his squad through personal hardships, injuries, family tragedies. We see trust grow, being repaid by some yet broken by others. We see reflections of the differences in culture, Ben learning what inspires these players from a Fijian culture, initially alien to him, to perform and train while he reflects on the many differences with the England squad he coached previously. We learn how rugby inspires the country of Fiji and how after the awful events of Cyclone Winston, which bought devastation to the Islands, the 7’s team carried a nation’s hopes into the world’s biggest sporting arena.
I have never understood how authors writing about real events can engender so much emotion into what the reader already knows to be true, but reading about the Olympic final is so wonderfully joyful you feel you have to share it.
Am I going to run out and buy a Fijian 7’s jersey – maybe! Am I going to tell everyone I know who likes rugby, or reads leadership books or sports books about THIS book? YES! Am I going to tell anyone who stands next to me at the coffee machine that they should read this book? YES! Do I think you should go on this journey too? I think you know! A remarkable story, wonderfully told and bound to bring a smile to many people.
5 Stars.
I chose to read and review an eARC of Sevens Heaven.
...The commentators are almost always biased against your team
...In 15-a-side everyone loves watching the Barbarians (an international charity invitation team who play carefree entertaining rugby) and
...in 7-a-side rugby everyone’s first or second team is Fiji.
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, 7-a-side rugby debuted and in the final Fiji beat Great Britain with a sublime display of entertaining, flowing and ruthless rugby. This book tells the journey of Englishman Ben Ryan who receives an unexpected tweet, goes through an unorthodox interview process and then coaches this wonderful team to 2 World Sevens Series and finally Fiji’s first Olympic medal.
This book is fascinating. Whether you are interested in rugby, the country of Fiji, Ryan’s philosophy of coaching or how a team which everyone loved watching went from mercurial to world-beaters, you will love this book. Even if you don’t like rugby I challenge you not to be inspired by the journey that you read about, the friendships, the highs and lows, and challenges overcome.
We follow Ben Ryan and his squad through personal hardships, injuries, family tragedies. We see trust grow, being repaid by some yet broken by others. We see reflections of the differences in culture, Ben learning what inspires these players from a Fijian culture, initially alien to him, to perform and train while he reflects on the many differences with the England squad he coached previously. We learn how rugby inspires the country of Fiji and how after the awful events of Cyclone Winston, which bought devastation to the Islands, the 7’s team carried a nation’s hopes into the world’s biggest sporting arena.
I have never understood how authors writing about real events can engender so much emotion into what the reader already knows to be true, but reading about the Olympic final is so wonderfully joyful you feel you have to share it.
Am I going to run out and buy a Fijian 7’s jersey – maybe! Am I going to tell everyone I know who likes rugby, or reads leadership books or sports books about THIS book? YES! Am I going to tell anyone who stands next to me at the coffee machine that they should read this book? YES! Do I think you should go on this journey too? I think you know! A remarkable story, wonderfully told and bound to bring a smile to many people.
5 Stars.
I chose to read and review an eARC of Sevens Heaven.
July 2, 2021
OK, ik ben niet echt een grote fan van de ' andere codes' . League, 10's maar ook 7's gaan me snel vervelen. En toch geniet ik met volle teugen van de Amsterdam 7's, of zou dat alles rond om het veld zijn?
Afijn, van 26 t/m 31 juli zullen de wedstrijden van de Rugby Olympics in Tokyo worden gespeeld en zullen we weten wie de opvolger wordt van Fiji die vijf jaar geleden in Rio hun eerste (gouden) medaille ooit wonnen. Het verhaal zal bij de fans bekend zijn, de beelden van de finale waarin team UK verpletterd werden door grote, breed grijzende mannen op hun netvlies gegrifd.
Ben Ryan was de coach van het winnende Fiji, maar de typische Engelsman, rood haar, bleek was voor zichzelf en de Fijians een grote verrassing toen hij na een telefonisch gesprek van 20 minuten tot coach werd benoemd? Wat hij aantrof op de eilandatol in de Pacific, de verhalen van de individuele spelers, de willekeur en corruptie, maar vooral het plezier waarmee hij en een paar enthousiaste Islanders Team Fiji uiteindelijk naar de gouden plak loodsen zijn zowel ontwapenend als meesterlijk geschreven.
Ryan geeft zich helemaal bloot zoals hij de verloren gaande vriendschap met zijn jeugdvriend verweeft in het verhaal, zijn op de klippen lopende relatie en zijn innerlijke demonen.
De manier waarop hij als buitenstaander weet te laveren tussen de gebruiken van een totaal verschillende cultuur en het trainen van een team dat alleen maar met goud de harten van de rugbygekke natie kan winnen is halucinant.
Het boek dat Ryan, voormalig 7's speler en coach van Engeland schreef met ghostwriter Tom Fordyce werd in 2018 op de William Hill Sportsbook of the Year shortlist gezet maar moest het afleggen tegen boeken over de jongste Kanaalzwemmer en een Ierse boxer.
Maakt niet uit, voor iedere 7's fan een must, maar ook voor alle union fans een absolute aanrader.
Natuurlijk koop of bestel je Sevens Heaven bij je lokale boekwinkel, zo steunen we elkaar.
Afijn, van 26 t/m 31 juli zullen de wedstrijden van de Rugby Olympics in Tokyo worden gespeeld en zullen we weten wie de opvolger wordt van Fiji die vijf jaar geleden in Rio hun eerste (gouden) medaille ooit wonnen. Het verhaal zal bij de fans bekend zijn, de beelden van de finale waarin team UK verpletterd werden door grote, breed grijzende mannen op hun netvlies gegrifd.
Ben Ryan was de coach van het winnende Fiji, maar de typische Engelsman, rood haar, bleek was voor zichzelf en de Fijians een grote verrassing toen hij na een telefonisch gesprek van 20 minuten tot coach werd benoemd? Wat hij aantrof op de eilandatol in de Pacific, de verhalen van de individuele spelers, de willekeur en corruptie, maar vooral het plezier waarmee hij en een paar enthousiaste Islanders Team Fiji uiteindelijk naar de gouden plak loodsen zijn zowel ontwapenend als meesterlijk geschreven.
Ryan geeft zich helemaal bloot zoals hij de verloren gaande vriendschap met zijn jeugdvriend verweeft in het verhaal, zijn op de klippen lopende relatie en zijn innerlijke demonen.
De manier waarop hij als buitenstaander weet te laveren tussen de gebruiken van een totaal verschillende cultuur en het trainen van een team dat alleen maar met goud de harten van de rugbygekke natie kan winnen is halucinant.
Het boek dat Ryan, voormalig 7's speler en coach van Engeland schreef met ghostwriter Tom Fordyce werd in 2018 op de William Hill Sportsbook of the Year shortlist gezet maar moest het afleggen tegen boeken over de jongste Kanaalzwemmer en een Ierse boxer.
Maakt niet uit, voor iedere 7's fan een must, maar ook voor alle union fans een absolute aanrader.
Natuurlijk koop of bestel je Sevens Heaven bij je lokale boekwinkel, zo steunen we elkaar.
April 20, 2020
I’ve read quite a few sports books in the last year, many of which I’ve really enjoyed, but none have had such a profound effect on me as Sevens Heaven.
I’m a big rugby fan and had heard Ben interviewed on various podcasts over the last few years and was a big fan of his work. The book documents the story of Ben Ryan leaving his role at the RFU before taking up the Fiji job, having spotted the role on social media. We learn all about Fiji’s perceptions of rugby and the rest of the world, the story of each of Ben’s players and how each one of them fought tooth and nail for the honour to represent Fiji and how Ben got the best out of every one of them.
Reading about how hard some of these guys had to work to get to the Olympics and just their outlook on life is so uplifting. The lives of the players seem a million miles away from what we think of when we picture professional athletes. One of my favourite and most inspirational parts of the book is Ben’s story of Jerry Tuwai, the reigning World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year, who has knife and fork written on his boots as a reminder of where he came from and what he plays for. The stories of these players and the way they embrace challenge and adversity really puts things into perspective and is a fantastic lesson in resilience for lots of us.
From a teaching point of view, Ben’s philosophy on coaching is awe inspiring. He takes the time to get to know not just every one of his players but their families too and fully immerses himself in their lives. The stories of Ben making himself a part of Fiji and embracing the Fijian way of life is amazing.
This book is a real feel good and uplifting read. Whether you’re a rugby fan or not, it would be impossible to not be inspired by this story as well as take away wisdom and advice. An inspirational must read.
I’m a big rugby fan and had heard Ben interviewed on various podcasts over the last few years and was a big fan of his work. The book documents the story of Ben Ryan leaving his role at the RFU before taking up the Fiji job, having spotted the role on social media. We learn all about Fiji’s perceptions of rugby and the rest of the world, the story of each of Ben’s players and how each one of them fought tooth and nail for the honour to represent Fiji and how Ben got the best out of every one of them.
Reading about how hard some of these guys had to work to get to the Olympics and just their outlook on life is so uplifting. The lives of the players seem a million miles away from what we think of when we picture professional athletes. One of my favourite and most inspirational parts of the book is Ben’s story of Jerry Tuwai, the reigning World Rugby Men’s Sevens Player of the Year, who has knife and fork written on his boots as a reminder of where he came from and what he plays for. The stories of these players and the way they embrace challenge and adversity really puts things into perspective and is a fantastic lesson in resilience for lots of us.
From a teaching point of view, Ben’s philosophy on coaching is awe inspiring. He takes the time to get to know not just every one of his players but their families too and fully immerses himself in their lives. The stories of Ben making himself a part of Fiji and embracing the Fijian way of life is amazing.
This book is a real feel good and uplifting read. Whether you’re a rugby fan or not, it would be impossible to not be inspired by this story as well as take away wisdom and advice. An inspirational must read.
December 9, 2020
‘Even as an adult you can learn and you can change. Keep being brave. Don’t let the past dictate your future’.
I’m ashamed to say I knew nothing of Ben Ryan, Rugby Sevens, or actually of Rugby full stop! A work colleague recommended this book to me, on the basis of it being about so much more than rugby and utterly inspirational leadership...and she wasn’t wrong!
Ben Ryan had me captivated from the first page, describing his instinct-led decision making before taking the reader on his Fijian Olympic journey, through the obstacles he faced, the people he connected with and their stories, and the culture he embraced and ultimately how he achieved success where a lot of others couldn’t or wouldn’t have.
There is humility, humour, openness and honesty, and so many lessons in inspirational, empathetic, people-focussed leadership.
My only criticism is that I struggled to visualise some of the personalities that were being described with a lot of names featuring in the book. It would’ve been good to have had some in context photographs featuring through the text to aid with this.
I would highly recommend this book, I really connected with it and emotionally and will carry some of its lessons with me into my own career.
I’m ashamed to say I knew nothing of Ben Ryan, Rugby Sevens, or actually of Rugby full stop! A work colleague recommended this book to me, on the basis of it being about so much more than rugby and utterly inspirational leadership...and she wasn’t wrong!
Ben Ryan had me captivated from the first page, describing his instinct-led decision making before taking the reader on his Fijian Olympic journey, through the obstacles he faced, the people he connected with and their stories, and the culture he embraced and ultimately how he achieved success where a lot of others couldn’t or wouldn’t have.
There is humility, humour, openness and honesty, and so many lessons in inspirational, empathetic, people-focussed leadership.
My only criticism is that I struggled to visualise some of the personalities that were being described with a lot of names featuring in the book. It would’ve been good to have had some in context photographs featuring through the text to aid with this.
I would highly recommend this book, I really connected with it and emotionally and will carry some of its lessons with me into my own career.
January 17, 2023
Fiji had the talent, but lacked the structures and fitness that someone like Ryan could bring from a more established system. But more importantly, he focused on softer skills, like trust, setting high standards and building relationships with players, and tried to understand the Fijian culture. Ryan had softer skills that traditional rugby coaches typically lacked. "Why I had wanted to be a teacher in the first place: to get the best out of kids, no matter where they were from; to not treat players like children; to understand they every individual reacts differently to the same stimuli."
Spoke about Percy Cerutty, Herb Elliott’s coach, who had preached to his athletes a lifestyle of sacrifice and self-reliance, that he called Stotan, a mix of Spartan and stoic.
You absorb behaviour from those around you. What can feel like instinct is probably more the accretion of what you have seen as a kid from parents and siblings and friends.
You can’t tell someone that they can trust you. It needs to be established gradually and on solid foundations.
The Fijian way: ride out the storm, accept the damage that has been left behind, move on. Don’t dwell in the darkness, walk forward into the dawn.
Spoke about Percy Cerutty, Herb Elliott’s coach, who had preached to his athletes a lifestyle of sacrifice and self-reliance, that he called Stotan, a mix of Spartan and stoic.
You absorb behaviour from those around you. What can feel like instinct is probably more the accretion of what you have seen as a kid from parents and siblings and friends.
You can’t tell someone that they can trust you. It needs to be established gradually and on solid foundations.
The Fijian way: ride out the storm, accept the damage that has been left behind, move on. Don’t dwell in the darkness, walk forward into the dawn.
January 7, 2021
I loved this book. The story is, of course, compelling and if you are a rugby (especially 7s) aficionado it has all the drama you could wish for. But it is more than this! So many sports books give us a dreary account of wins and losses as the author drives us through a factual/logistical account of their journey from match to match with little to add to what we already know. Ben Ryan, on the other hand, shares his heart, spirit and mindset in detail with us and that of his players too as he embarks on the Fijian odyssey of Olympic glory. We get it all....a fascinating cocktail of intrigue, political pressures, cultural contradictions and conditioning, the fragility and inconsistency of the human condition, all bound up in the extraordinary fight for high achievement that exposes the wonders, frustrations and indomitable spirit of a nation. The best insight into a coach's journey of growth and learning as he searches for answers to the eternal question of what motivates each of us to excel or to self-destruct.
July 21, 2018
The question is often asked: should foreign coaches have to adapt to local circumstances, or should the onus be on locals to adapt to the foreigner? Ben Ryan, who coached Fiji to its first ever Olympic gold medal at Rio 2016, shows that it requires a good mix of both. While the players had to adapt to his fitness and nutrition standards, he had to learn all about the Fijian way of doing things, which can be tough for an Oxford-educated working class Englishman who had never had to deal with a dictator who ruled the country with an iron fist, very different cultural mores, variable (lax) standards of time-keeping and dental hygiene, inter-village tribal rivalry and extreme poverty. Besides, he was not paid for the first 6 months.
Very readable and often brutally honest and personal account.
Very readable and often brutally honest and personal account.
September 12, 2020
I’d give it six stars if I could.
Yes, there is certainly some bias as I live and breathe rugby, but this book is so much more than that. It’s a story that I’ve heard in-person, on a podcast and now through the magical words in this book, and it never fails to get better. It’s an eye-opening, immersive, emotional and honest account of Ben Ryan’s journey but also the often unknown and unaccounted lives of those in Fiji who encounter very different lives to people like me.. but embrace it in every way possible. It’s one of those books that puts you in there whilst you’re reading, and then makes you want to immediately move there once you put it down.
One of the best books I’ve read, and I hope Ben Ryan now takes another team, another non-Olympic winning team, and creates another incredible journey to document.
Yes, there is certainly some bias as I live and breathe rugby, but this book is so much more than that. It’s a story that I’ve heard in-person, on a podcast and now through the magical words in this book, and it never fails to get better. It’s an eye-opening, immersive, emotional and honest account of Ben Ryan’s journey but also the often unknown and unaccounted lives of those in Fiji who encounter very different lives to people like me.. but embrace it in every way possible. It’s one of those books that puts you in there whilst you’re reading, and then makes you want to immediately move there once you put it down.
One of the best books I’ve read, and I hope Ben Ryan now takes another team, another non-Olympic winning team, and creates another incredible journey to document.
July 10, 2025
A Must-Read for Every Rugby-Loving Fijian
Every Fijian who loves rugby should read this powerful and insightful book by former Sevens coach Ben Ryan. It beautifully weaves together the sport we’re so passionate about with the spirit, resilience, and culture of our people.
Ben takes you on an unforgettable journey—through moments of triumph and celebration, as well as the challenges and lows that shaped the team’s story. His perspective offers not just a deeper appreciation of the game, but also a genuine connection to Fiji and its people.
This was also a book I lovingly shared and discovered with my father, who—true to his gift as a storyteller—wove its lessons and moments into stories that were later shared around a bowl of kava. That memory will forever shape how I remember this book.
An inspiring and deeply personal read for anyone who loves rugby and calls Fiji home.
Every Fijian who loves rugby should read this powerful and insightful book by former Sevens coach Ben Ryan. It beautifully weaves together the sport we’re so passionate about with the spirit, resilience, and culture of our people.
Ben takes you on an unforgettable journey—through moments of triumph and celebration, as well as the challenges and lows that shaped the team’s story. His perspective offers not just a deeper appreciation of the game, but also a genuine connection to Fiji and its people.
This was also a book I lovingly shared and discovered with my father, who—true to his gift as a storyteller—wove its lessons and moments into stories that were later shared around a bowl of kava. That memory will forever shape how I remember this book.
An inspiring and deeply personal read for anyone who loves rugby and calls Fiji home.
December 23, 2019
A solid 4.5 for me. Never really cared for rugby sevens until a year ago so this book was a real eye-opener into just how much effort goes into an elite team. Besides rugby, the book was not just an interesting insight of certain aspects of Fijian culture, but also the corollary pitfalls of nepotism and superstition in the islands. Credits to Ben Ryan on how well he illustrated the key characters of his team and its management.
One problem for me was that, even as a native English speaker, there were some phrases Ryan used that didn't make sense and some sentences that just didn't quite flow. That's me being nitpicky though. I thoroughly recommend this to those interested.
One problem for me was that, even as a native English speaker, there were some phrases Ryan used that didn't make sense and some sentences that just didn't quite flow. That's me being nitpicky though. I thoroughly recommend this to those interested.
March 4, 2021
This is not a book about Rugby or Rugby Sevens. It is a book about how a man took a job on the other side of the world in a country he had never visited, at 20 minutes notice, with no salary for 6 months and when he got there found an underfunded team rife with nepotism and government interference and took them to the Olympics in Rio. It's the story of how they got there and what happened. There is very little in this book about rugby which makes it a great read for the uninitiated. It is also a book tinged with sadness about broken relationships both in the past and present. Don't be put off by the Rugby context as this is a book worth reading.
May 15, 2022
I've never been into rugby, I never even knew that there was a 'mini' version of the game that was much shorter and had half the players. But having started work in Fiji, I was recommended this book and loved it!
Not only is this a finely paced story of Fiji's amazing journey to a very memorable Olympics, but it's a superb guide to Fiji's iTaukei culture, with the sobering tales of village youth making it (or not) to the world stage and the rollercoaster personal gamble of the head coach.
The whole trip makes you fall in love with the Fiji way of life that teaches you the value of community, to be good to people, have fun and stay positive through any adversity.
Not only is this a finely paced story of Fiji's amazing journey to a very memorable Olympics, but it's a superb guide to Fiji's iTaukei culture, with the sobering tales of village youth making it (or not) to the world stage and the rollercoaster personal gamble of the head coach.
The whole trip makes you fall in love with the Fiji way of life that teaches you the value of community, to be good to people, have fun and stay positive through any adversity.
January 6, 2025
I read this book while on vacation in Fiji which was a really fantastic experience. While reading about the athletes' extensive training, I was able to run up the Sigatoka sand dunes and go through a few of the different villages so it was a great supplement to the vacation. That said, it really is an inspiring sports story and is well-written and immersive. I would have appreciated a little more information about the sport of rugby as it was new to me but I just went on Google, so I was able to figure it out. The author came across as a bit arrogant in places but he is incredibly well-regarded in Fiji and his coaching was rather incredible, so.
Reread - Maybe.
Reccomendation - Sure.
Reread - Maybe.
Reccomendation - Sure.
February 20, 2020
A beautiful book that, on surface level, tells a classic story of the underdog rising up against all odds to become champions (which Ben Ryan brilliantly recounts). But this book goes far deeper to look at the culture of Pacific Island life, the inequalities between sporting nations, and the power of community and relationships over money and technology to bring people together. One of the best books on sport that I've ever read, and one that really shouldn't be simply defined in the 'sport' genre.
July 21, 2020
A very enjoyable and informative read about Fijis triumph in the 7's competition at the Rio Olympics. Gives you an opportunity to understand South Sea culture and how Fijiians see themselves and their families. It is also rather sad because it catalogues the break up of the author's marriage.
But the attempt to give the story a deeper meaning by telling how his black school mate went off the rails fails.
It added little or nothing to the story
But the attempt to give the story a deeper meaning by telling how his black school mate went off the rails fails.
It added little or nothing to the story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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