Rugby
Flying Fijians to play Wallabies next year
THE Fiji Rugby Union has confirmed a test match with Wallabies that will be held in Australia after the Pacific Nations Cup against Tonga and Samoa next year. The FRU chief executive officer John O’Connor...
Savu shines for Fijiana
FIJI Airways Fijiana player Asinate Savu has been in sensational form ion the first two days at the Cape Town 7s. Savu leads the DHL Impact Player for the Women’s Cape Town event with 27 points. She has so far made four tackles, five offloads, ten carries and one line break. Fijiana has hd a...
Solomon Islands Football Federation and player sanctioned
FOLLOWING a hearing by Oceania Football Confederation Disciplinary and Ethics Committee on 11 December 2019, Solomon Islands’ footballer Maxwell Keana was found in breach of Article 73(1) (Ineligibility) of the OFC Disciplinary Code by playing in five official matches in the OFC U-16 Championship 2018 while he was ineligible to play. Mr Keana played for...
Fiji U18 finish fifth
THE Fiji U18 have finished in fifth place after beating the Tonga Barbarians in the World Schools 7s plate final at Pakuranga in Auckland yesterday. Fiji U18 coach Masi Saqanivere said it was not the finish they were after, but was glad to see the future stars of Fiji rugby showcase themselves. “Out development continues...
Five teams go unbeaten on day two in Cape Town
SOUTH Africa, New Zealand, France, Ireland and Kenya finished the pool stages of the HSBC Cape Town Sevens 2019 unbeaten, while England and USA missed out on the Cup quarter-finals and will battle for ninth place on Sunday. South Africa, New Zealand, France, Ireland and Kenya finished the pool stages of the HSBC Cape Town...
Fijiana to face Australia in Cape Town 7s
NEW ZEALAND, France and Australia head into the Cup quarter-finals of the HSBC Cape Town Sevens 2019 as pool winners after some tough battles on day two at Cape Town Stadium. It was a case of third time lucky for Olympic champions Australia against USA at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens on Saturday, a 19-14...
Koio wins inaugural Wailoku 7s title
THE Koio rugby team came out victorious against Savura in the final of the Wailoku 7s tournament at the Wailoku settlement grounds in Suva yesterday. Koio beat Savura 14-7 to win the inaugural event. Tournament organiser Joe Lauvanua said the event was organised to help fundraise for the land rent in the Wailoku settlement. “The...
FRU to introduce extra 7 rounds
A NEW chapter will open in the 2020 Skipper Cup competition as the round robin games have been extended to 14 rounds compared with the seven rounds earlier this year. This was revealed by the Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor during the FRU annual general meeting at the Warwick Fiji Resort. O’Connor...
Fiji 7s to face Ireland in Cape Town quarter-final
THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s side will play Ireland in the third Cup quarter-final at the Cape Town 7s later tonight. This after the Gareth Baber coached side finished second in a tough Pool A which had Dubai 7s champions South Africa, the ever improving USA and the unpredictable Japan sides. Fiji started the tournament...
14th December
Fiji 7s wary of South Africa
THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s side is aware the match against South Africa at the Cape Town 7s ill be crucial. A win for Fiji might just ensure a spot in the quarter-finals with Japan being our last opponents in pool play. South would be aware that a loss will put them into dangerous territory...
Wailoku 7s hailed a success
THE Wailoku 7s tournament has been hailed a success after two days of rugby competition at the Wailoku settlement grounds in Suva. Tournament organiser Joe Lauvanua said the response from the villagers and teams from other areas out of Wailoku had been positive and they hoped this would be the beginning of many more tournaments...
Fiji power past Russia on day one in Cape Town
THE opening round of women’s matches at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens looked to be going according to seedings until Fiji produced a dominant second half to beat Russia. Fiji caused the surprise of the opening day at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens 2019 with an impressive 38-19 defeat of Russia at Cape Town Stadium...
A day of upsets on day one in Cape Town
IRELAND and Scotland snatched last-gasp victories over Australia and England respectively on the opening day of men’s pool matches at the HSBC Cape Town Sevens, while Kenya were also surprise winners over Samoa. Hosts South Africa, defending champions Fiji and New Zealand all recorded impressive wins on day one of the HSBC Cape Town Sevens...
Riot forces cancellation of Hong Kong 10s tourney
FIJI’S chances of defending the Hong Kong 7s title for the sixth consecutive year is under a cloud of doubt after riots and safety concerns have forced the cancellation of the Hong Kong 10s rugby tournament amid fears for the city’s famous event. The Fiji 7s team have been the defending champion of the event...
FRU boss proud of Fijiana achievement
THE Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor was proud of their greatest achievement in 2019, the qualifying of the Fijiana XV rugby team to the Rugby World Cup. Fijiana has qualified for its first Rugby World Cup after beating Samoa in the final round of the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship 2019 in Lautoka,...
Seruvakula: Coach has last say in camp
TECHNOLOGY assistance has been a breakthrough in sports and the Fiji Rugby Union has witnessed its effects in the preparation of national teams for international matches. Social media, for instance, has its side effects that caused upsets and the downfall of a team and renowned coaches and players have seen how the abuse of social...
World School 7s: Fiji U18 team advances to quarters
THE Fiji under-18 sevens team advanced to meet Australia in the quarterfinals after topping their pool at the World Schools Sevens in Auckland in New Zealand yesterday. Fiji ran undefeated on day one and brought the crowd to life in every game with their dazzling footwork and showcasing their off-loading skills. “Our players did well...
2019 Cape Town 7s: Nacuqu to lead offensive
FIJI 7s playmaker Waisea Nacuqu is expected to lead the offensive at the HSBC Cape Town 7s this weekend. The Votua Village in Ba tactician who was instrumental in last year’s Cape Town 7s win is one of the key players in coach Gareth Baber’s lineup to be unleashed at Cape Town Stadium. “He’s an...
Cape Town 7s: Fiji wins first pool match
THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s side won its opening pool match at the Cape Town 7s defeating USA 28-14 this morning. Aminiasi Tuimaba’s brace of tries saw Fiji leading 14-nil at the break. Vilimoni Botitu and Alosio Naduva added a try each in the second spell for the win. Discipline continues to be a concern...
Leone Nakarawa: Bayonne say Fijian set to re-sign for Glasgow Warriors
LONDON, 14 DECEMBER 2019 (BBC SPORT) – Fiji star Leone Nakarawa is set to re-join Glasgow Warriors, according to French club Bayonne, who had been in negotiations to sign him. The Top 14 side say Nakarawa had verbally agreed to sign, before telling them he would return to Scotstoun. The second-row is a free agent...
13th December
Men’s squads confirmed for HSBC Cape Town Sevens
CAPETOWN, 13 DECEMBER 2019 (WORLD RUGBY) — The final squads for the men’s second round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series have been announced as the competition heads to Cape Town this weekend. The Cape Town Stadium will play host to three days of men’s and women’s competition as it welcomes 12 of the...
Baber: Defeats help lift team
WITH the insurmountable love for sevens and expectations in the country, Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber said the team had been so accustomed to being criticised by the public and fans when they lose games that it helped them to play better. “This time last year it was very similar, the people wrote us off,...
Nadroga Rugby starts competition
THE Nadroga Rugby Union will kickstart its Super Rugby franchise tomorrow at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka as their off-season program began last week during the Nadroga 7s tournament. Union president Tiko Matawalu revealed the draws of the super rugby competition for the under-20 and senior teams as a pathway to the players who were keen...
Baber: Team still more than capable of winning
FIJI 7s head coach Gareth Baber has said that despite a slow start, the team was still more than capable of winning tournaments. Fiji had yet to register a tournament win this season after finishing ninth at the HSBC World Rugby Series Dubai 7s tournament and runner-up at the Oceania Rugby Sevens in Suva last...
FRU boss refutes speculation around top coaching job
FIJI Rugby Union CEO John O’Connor has refuted speculations made on the applicants for the position of Flying Fijians head coach. The position of the Flying Fijians head coach was advertised two weeks ago and closes tomorrow before the board makes their decision to select the best candidate for the job. O’Connor confirmed with this...
Fiji Academy rugby teams in NZ 7s
TWO Fiji teams will be part of the 2019 World Schools 7s rugby tournament in Auckland New Zealand this week. The men’s and women’s teams are part of the Rugby Academy Fiji team that left our shores on Tuesday morning. According to their Facebook status, this is an achievement for the academy to send both...
Thousands laud Brave Blossoms in central Tokyo parade
TOKYO (Reuters) – Thousands of fans lined the streets of Tokyo on Wednesday to cheer parading members of the Japan rugby union team who made history at their home World Cup earlier this year, reaching the quarter-finals for the first time. As he did during the tournament, captain Michael Leitch led from the front as...
12th December
Fiji 7s to focus on discipline
GOING into the HSBC Cape Town 7s, serious focus has also been on discipline after Fiji copped six yellow cards in four games during the previous tournament in Dubai. “It wasn’t good enough last weekend and the players have been told it wasn’t good enough,” said Fiji 7s coach Gareth Baber. “When we were down...
FRU chief commends Fijiana’s qualification
THE Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor is proud of their greatest achievement in 2019, the qualifying of the Fijiana XV rugby team to the Rugby World Cup. Fijiana have qualified for their first Rugby World Cup after beating Samoa in the final round of the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship 2019 in Lautoka...
‘Ruthless defence’
A RUTHLESS defence will be key this weekend as the Fiji 7s team defends the HSBC Cape Town 7s title this weekend. Head coach Gareth Baber said hard lessons from last week’s dismal start to the season in Dubai would be a driving factor for the defending series champions. “When we are hurt we often...
