“We didn’t have any resources at home for the basics of running things, like bottled water, petrol to get us to training, rugby balls or any expenses for the players,” Ryan said. “Staff were let go as well.”

All this is in stark contrast to the facilities, resources and help that Ryan had at his fingertips during his six years with England.

There he had nutritionists, physiotherapists, sports psychologists, strength and conditioning coaches, analysts, managers, assistant managers, performance directors and high-tech training aids, like GPS tracking devices.

“In Fiji it’s me,” he said. “I’m in charge of the whole program. I’ve got a physio and a manager.”

Despite a lack of resources, Fiji has traditionally had a strong sevens team. It won the I.R.B. world series title in 2005-06 and since then has placed second over all three times, and fourth over all three times. Last season it finished third.

So there is no doubt Ryan has the talent with which to work, but he is starting from scratch with the players when it comes to teaching them the value of good nutrition and diet. They are also unfamiliar with some of the training and preparation techniques that are second nature in more developed nations.

But Ryan is embracing the challenge. “It’s reminded me that sport at the highest level is still all about the basics,” he said. “All the whistles and horns you get at the top end in some of the more developed nations with your monitoring systems and your high-tech gadgets and the various other things, you’ve still got to pass the ball and make your tackles. That doesn’t change.”

Even with all the off-field issues, the Fiji sevens team remains competitive in the 2013-14 series. It won the tournament in Tokyo last weekend to add to its triumph in Dubai earlier in the series. It is third in the standings, behind South Africa and New Zealand — teams that Fiji beat in Japan — and ahead of England, with the sport’s showpiece tournament in Hong Kong starting on Friday.