Former Wales Sevens assistant coach Gareth Baber has just been handed the biggest job in the game, replacing Ben Ryan as Fiji coach.

Baber, who was appointed as the men's sevens coach and head coach of the elite rugby sevens programme at the Hong Kong Sports Institute in 2013, will take charge of Rio's gold medallists and current World Series champions in the New Year.

Baber has a top class pedigree in sevens, having been assistant coach when Wales captured the plate at the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006.

Baber has been appointed on an initial four-year contract with Fiji, which will take the reigning Olympic champions through to the next Summer Games in Japan in 2020.

"As a coach, this is an incredible opportunity to work with the present world and Olympic champions. Coaches, like players, need to constantly challenge themselves; I want to continuously strengthen my knowledge of the game and the competition level that Fiji operates at will provide that opportunity.

"This appointment would not have been possible without the support of the Hong Kong Rugby Union and the opportunities they have given me. I have tremendous affection for Hong Kong and Hong Kong rugby and if there is one positive to my leaving it is the opportunity to work with Fiji Rugby, who have such a special relationship with the city, and the chance to return every year during the Hong Kong Sevens," Baber said.