Old Glory DC Adds Osea Kolinisau

Old Glory DC added Osea Kolinisau for the next two weeks of the 2021 Major League Rugby season. The 35-year-old fullback/center is 6’0″, and 200 lbs.

Osea played 228 minutes in 3 matches as a starter for the Houston SaberCats in 2020. He was not resigned from the team for the 2021 season but continued to play rugby for the Asia Pacific Dragons in the World Tens Series in Bermuda, October/November 2020.

During the 2019 MLR season, Osea played 1004 minutes in 13 matches as a starter and scored 2 tries. He made 74 tackles and kicked 13 times for 282 meters. He also was a SaberCats Academy coach.

During 2018 he played 640 minutes in all eight matches as a starter at center and occasionally at fullback.

Osea is from Suva, Viti Levu, Fiji. He played club rugby for Covenant Brother Rugby Club and in the 2012 Coral Coast Sevens tournament, for the Serevi Selects.

He is best known for being the most capped player for the Fiji Sevens team and for leading Fiji as captain of the country’s first Olympic Gold Medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Osea made his debut for the Fiji Sevens team in 2008 at the Dubai Sevens and played with the team until 2017. He became captain of the team in 2014 and led Fiji to two consecutive first-place finishes in the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series for the 2014-15 and the 2015-16 seasons. Osea is the 12th all-time HSBC Sevens Series point scorer with 1272 points. He played in 301 matches and scored 122 tries.

He was the flag bearer for Team Fiji at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio and became a national hero and celebrity after the rugby team beat Great Britain 43-7 to win the Gold Medal. He scored the team’s first try in the Gold Medal match.

Following the Olympic Games, he was awarded the Officer of the Order of Fiji, which is presented for achievement and merit to Fiji and mankind as a whole. He is also depicted on a commemorative Fiji 7 Dollar Banknote.

Ben Ryan also arranged for a scholarship to be offered to attend Loughborough University, but soon after came the opportunity to play professionally in the inaugural Major League Rugby season for the Houston SaberCats.

Sometimes, timing is everything and with his marriage to Mere Tavu Fa, the economic incentive for stability was important.

Osea was a key contributor for the SaberCats during the 2018 season. he played in all eight matches and was the co-team leader in tries with Josua Vici with five. That placed both players in 5th place as MLR try-scorers. His leadership was invaluable both on the pitch and off. His rugby knowledge was shared with the team and through his Academy coaching.

The 2019 Major League Rugby season should be an exciting one. The team’s roster has improved and Osea should be a team leader again. The 2019 season is a 16 match regular season and the team has reinforcements available, if needed, from the West Houston Lions Division 1 side.

Old Glory DC Comments

“Born in Suva, Fiji, Osea Kolinisau will join Old Glory DC for two weeks starting this week. Kolinisau has represented Fiji rugby since 2008. He went onto captain the first Fiji side to win the Dubai 7s in the 2014 Sevens World Series. Under his leadership, Fiji Sevens won the 2014/15 and 2015/16 HSBC Sevens World Series. Representing Fiji at the highest stage in sports, Kolinisau also captained Fiji to their first Olympic gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. The outside back holds the most caps for a Fijian 7s player at 301 matches played, most tackles at 383, and second-most points at 1272.”