Fiji vs England: In-form Jyota Winikolo aims to shake England

“We watched part of the England v South Africa match, and South Africa are world number one, so they are more physical, but I think we are more physical than South Africa,” he says.

He added: “We will fix everything we lacked in the last match [the 39-24 defeat by Wales].

“We will strike a balance and be a bit more physical because that’s what South Africa did with England.”

Winkulu, who stands 6 feet 2 inches and 15 4 pounds, puts some of his strength, speed and elusiveness into soccer drills, which he still relies on.

“I played football at school and was delighted to be selected for the Fiji U-20 squad,” he recalls.

“I was training with the players who now represent Fiji [at senior level]Some of them play for clubs in New Zealand and Australia.

“I love the agility drills we did — I still do them now, they’re so good. It helps my ankles, my legs, the change of direction, the side steps, I love it.”

Mindset is perhaps the most important muscle.

Knowing that the Olympic Sevens stage would be a prominent platform for landing a lucrative contract abroad, 22-year-old Wainiqolo, who plays locally in Fiji and is not part of the top-tier Sevens circuit, has forced his way into the country’s 12-man all-star squad for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.

The Covid-affected build-up turned a one-week training camp into four months away from their families for the Fiji players as they locked down and were able to defend their title.

In Japan, Wainiqolo was the team’s top scorer, scoring five times in their gold medal winning campaign.

The step he wanted arrived. He was signed by French giants Toulon.

But, at the end of the 2024-25 season, Winikolo felt that, with league rules encouraging the top 14 clubs to favor home-grown talent, he was falling behind French wingers Gabin Villiers and Gael Drian.

He turned to Lyon and duly lit up the league.

“In Lyon there is no Jeff [Joueurs Issus des Filières de Formation – the stipulation over quotas of homegrown players] “The problem is that I can play every game,” says Winikolo.

“I was very happy. I don’t worry about stats and tries. I just enjoy playing. I love this game.”