With the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in sight, the Vodafone Fijiana XV are set to face a tough test when they play the USA Women’s Eagles for the first time next Saturday.
Speaking to Fiji Rugby after their training session in Nadi on Tuesday, head coach Ioan Cunningham says the match is more than just a warm-up, it’s a key part of their World Cup build-up.
“This match is a great opportunity for us to test ourselves against a top-tier team like the USA,” Cunningham said.
The 9th-ranked USA side will be a strong challenge for the 15th-ranked Fijiana side, who are coming off a thrilling win against Samoa in the Oceania Women’s Challenge final at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka.
The match kicks off at 2:05 pm local time and will be played before the USA vs England men’s game.
Cunningham said the recent win boosted team morale and the players are eager to step up again.
The 36-member squad currently training in Nadi includes four Fijiana 7s stars, Mere Vocevoce, Kelerayani Luvu, Verenaisi Ditavutu and Ilisapeci Delaiwau.
“They bring speed, power, and experience from the World Series,” he said.
Young players from Fiji Rugby’s High-Performance programs are also making their mark in camp.
Fiji is in Pool B of the Women’s Rugby World Cup alongside Canada, Scotland and Wales.
The tournament kicks off on August 22 next year and runs through to September 27.
“We want to showcase Fijian rugby talent to the world,” Cunningham said.
The Fijiana XV fly out from Nadi this Saturday to continue their preparations in the United States.
Meanwhile the match will kick off on July 19, at Audi Field in Washington, D.C.
