New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens steps down after Rio Olympics disappointment

All Blacks Sevens boss calls it a day after 22 years in charge in the wake of quarter-final exit at Brazil Games

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Legendary New Zealand sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has stepped down from his role following his team’s disappointing performance in Rio. Photo: AFP

Published: 10:45am, 6 Sep 2016Updated: 7:47pm, 14 Oct 2016

New Zealand men’s rugby sevens coach Gordon Tietjens has stepped down after 22 years in charge in the wake of their quarter-final exit at the Rio Olympics.

By far the most successful sevens coach in history, Tietjens took over the programme in 1994 and guided teams in over 100 international tournaments, yielding 12 world series titles and four Commonwealth Games gold medals.

Despite the glowing record, Tietjens bows out with regret over the ill-fated campaign at Rio where his team suffered a number of injuries and were bundled out in the last eight by eventual champions Fiji.

New Zealand, seeded third at the tournament, also suffered a shock defeat to Japan in their first game in Rio.

Tietjens had been in charge of New Zealand’s sevens team for 22 years. Photo: Reuters

He conceded his last year in charge had been his most difficult, steering a side considered medal certainties in the format’s Olympic debut.

“I gave it everything as a coach,” Tietjens told local reporters at a media conference on Tuesday. “I felt this year, with the injuries, the expectation, we still qualified and came third in the World Series.