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Union | Fiji Rugby Union | ||
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Coach(es) | Osea Kolinisau | ||
Captain(s) | Vatemo Ravouvou | ||
Top scorer | Waisale Serevi (1310) | ||
Most tries | Waisea Nacuqu (135) | ||
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World Cup Sevens | |||
Appearances | 8 (First in 1993 ) | ||
Best result | Champions (1997, 2005, 2022) World Rugby series (2005–2006, 2014–2015, 2015–2016, 2018–2019) |
The Fiji national rugby sevens team has competed in the World Rugby Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens and the Olympics. Fiji won the gold medal in the inaugural rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics in 2016 in Brazil, the country's first Olympic medal in any event, and repeated as Olympic champions in the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, defeating New Zealand. [1] Fiji would fall short from winning gold for a third straight time in 2024 after a defeat in the final to hosts France. Overall, Fiji are the only national rugby sevens team in the world to have won the Sevens Treble (the Olympics, Sevens Series, and World Cup), the three major achievements in Sevens. They have won multiple World Rugby Sevens Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens.
Fiji Sevens is watched and enjoyed by fans around the world for its style of play — the "Flying Fijians" play with Fijian flair. [2] Their passing and offloads can be unorthodox for traditional rugby coaching, and more similar to basketball style. [3]
The International Rugby Board (IRB) expanded the sevens rugby competition to become a series of 11 tournaments around the world. The debt the FRU incurred from the 2000 sevens series was significant. At the end of December 2000, the FRU was burdened with accumulated losses of F$933,306. Fiji appealed to the IRB for funding, arguing that the sevens tournament was built around Fiji and they would not be able to participate without such funding. From that appeal flowed participation funds that enabled the islands teams to play in the World Sevens Series fully funded. By the end of November 2001, the FRU was sitting on a surplus of F$560,311 compared with the previous year's net loss of F$675,609.
The FRU again ran out of money in 2013 to support the national sevens team. The IRB had temporarily suspended funding due to concerns with FRU financial management and governance. The head coach went unpaid for months, another staff was terminated, and the team lacked funds for basic supplies such as rugby balls and bottled water. [4]
Waisale Serevi is highly regarded as the best player ever in sevens rugby.[ citation needed ] Nicknamed the "maestro", played in this side from 1989 to 2006 leading them to countless tournament victories, two Sevens World Cups in 1997 and 2005.
Rank | Times | Seasons |
---|---|---|
1st | 4 | 2005–06, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018-2019 |
2nd | 6 | 1999–2000, 2004–05, 2006–07, 2008–09, 2011–12, 2017–18 |
3rd | 9 | 2000–01, 2002–03, 2012–13, 2013–14, 2016–17, 2019–20, 2021–22, 2022–23, 2023–24 |
4th | 5 | 2001–02, 2003–04, 2007–08, 2009–10, 2010–11 |
Total | 24 | |
Fiji has won the World Rugby Sevens Series four times — first in 2005–06, and most recently in 2018–19. Fiji is one of only two teams — along with New Zealand — to finish in the top four of the World Series every season since its inception.[ citation needed ]
Year | Round | Pos | Pld | W | L | D | Most tries | Qualifying |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() | Final | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | J. Tuisova (5) | Finished first at the 2014–15 World Series |
![]() | Final | 1st | 6 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Jiuta Wainiqolo (5) | Finished first at the 2018–19 World Series |
![]() | Final | 2nd | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | Joji Nasova (4) | Finished third at the 2022–23 World Series |
Total | 2 Titles | 3/3 | 18 | 17 | 1 | 0 |
Olympic Games History | |||
---|---|---|---|
2016 | Pool stage | ![]() ![]() | Win |
![]() ![]() | Win | ||
![]() ![]() | Win | ||
Quarterfinals | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
Semifinals | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
Final | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
2020 | Pool stage | ![]() ![]() | Win |
![]() ![]() | Win | ||
![]() ![]() | Win | ||
Quarterfinals | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
Semifinals | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
Final | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
2024 | Pool stage | ![]() ![]() | Win |
![]() ![]() | Win | ||
![]() ![]() | Win | ||
Quarterfinals | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
Semifinals | ![]() ![]() | Win | |
Final | ![]() ![]() | Loss |
World Cup Sevens record | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | Position | Played | Won | Lost | Drew | Most tries | Most points | |
![]() | Semi-finals | 3rd | 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | |||
![]() | Finals | 1st | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | M. Vunibaka (12) | W. Serevi (117) | |
![]() | Semi-finals | 3rd | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | |||
![]() | Finals | 1st | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | |||
![]() | Quarter-finals | 5th | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | |||
![]() | Semi-finals | 3rd | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | |||
![]() | Semi-finals | 4th | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | |||
![]() | Finals | 1st | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | |||
Total | 3 Titles | 8/8 | 49 | 41 | 8 | 0 | M. Vunibaka (23) | W. Serevi (297) |
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The following players have been selected to represent Fiji during the 2023–24 SVNS tournament beginning in December 2023.
Note: Caps reflect the total number of SVNS events competed in as of the 2023 Dubai Sevens.
Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jerry Matana | Forward | 14 July 1998 | 14 | Unattached |
Sevuloni Mocenacagi | Forward | 29 June 1990 | 48 | Rouen |
Kaminieli Rasaku | Forward | 12 July 1999 | 10 | Bayonne |
Filipe Sauturaga | Forward | 19 June 1994 | 12 | Unattached |
Joseva Talacolo (c) | Forward | 1 April 1997 | 13 | Unattached |
Ilikimi Vunaki | Forward | 2001 (age 22–23) | 1 | Unattached |
Pilipo Bukayaro | Back | 18 March 1999 | 15 | Unattached |
Josese Batirerega | Back | 28 November 1999 | 9 | Unattached |
Rubeni Kabu | Back | 1997 (age 26–27) | 1 | Unattached |
Netava Koroisau | Back | 1996 (age 27–28) | 1 | Unattached |
Manueli Maisamoa | Back | 9 August 1995 | 17 | Unattached |
Vuiviawa Naduvalo | Back | 25 May 1996 | 15 | Unattached |
Kavekini Tabu | Back | 21 June 1994 | 7 | Bressane |
Terio Tamani | Back | 6 July 1994 | 13 | Unattached |
The following section lists player records from the World Rugby Sevens Series. Players in bold are still active.
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The following Fiji Sevens players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2004: [14]
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![]() | This list of "famous" or "notable" people has no clear inclusion or exclusion criteria . Please help improve this article by defining clear inclusion criteria to contain only subjects that fit those criteria. (January 2018) |
In addition to the players listed above, other notable players include:
Coach | Tenure | Note |
---|---|---|
Gareth Baber | 2016–21 | Baber has won the most tournaments by a Fiji 7s coach and has coached the side to their 4th World Series Title in 2019. In addition, Baber also coached the Fiji 7s side to victory by bringing the country's second gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. |
Ben Ryan | 2013–16 | Ryan coached the Fiji 7s side to 2 back-to-back world series titles and the country's first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. |
Alifereti Dere | 2010–13 | |
Waisale Serevi | 2005–07; 2008–09 | Serevi coached/played in the side from 2005 to 2007 guiding Fiji to their first World Sevens Series title in the 2005–2006 season. |
Pauliasi Tabulutu | 2004–06 | |
Wayne Pivac | 2005 | |
Etuate Waqa | ||
Ratu Kitione Vesikula | ||
Rupeni Ravonu | ||
Peni Veidreyaki | ||
Alifereti Cawanibuka | ||
Tomasi Cama | 2001 | |
Josateki Sovau | 1987 | |
Sanivalati Laulau | ||
Timoci Wainiqolo |
World Rugby is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international competitions, such as the World Rugby Sevens Series, the Rugby World Cup Sevens, the World Under 20 Championship, and the Pacific Nations Cup.
Rugby sevens is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players playing seven-minute halves, instead of the usual 15 players playing 40-minute halves. Rugby sevens is administered by World Rugby, the body responsible for rugby union worldwide. The game is popular at all levels, with amateur and club tournaments generally held in the summer months. Sevens is one of the most well distributed forms of rugby, and is popular in parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Americas, and especially in the South Pacific.
Waisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi is a Fijian former rugby union football player and coach, and is a member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Serevi is renowned for his achievements in rugby sevens, while also enjoying a long career in fifteen-a-side rugby at both club and national team levels. Nicknamed "The Wizard" by commentators, he is widely considered to be the greatest rugby sevens player in the history of the game. A biography of Serevi titled Waisale Serevi: King of Sevens by Nick Darvenzi was published in 2018.
Rugby World Cup Sevens (RWCS) is the quadrennial world championship of rugby sevens, a variant of rugby union. Organised by World Rugby, it currently consists of men's and women's tournaments, and is the highest level of competition in the sport outside of the Summer Olympics.
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The 2005–06 World Sevens Series was the seventh edition of the global circuit for men's national rugby sevens teams, run by the International Rugby Board since 1999-2000. The series was won by Fiji in the last event of the competition, ending New Zealand's 6-year run as series champions. Fiji needed to finish in fifth place or higher at the London Sevens to ensure that they would win the series ahead of England, but won the tournament handily with 54–14 victory over Samoa in the final.
Rugby union in Fiji is a popular team sport and is considered to be the national sport of the country. The sport was introduced to Fiji in the 1880s. Fiji is defined as a tier two rugby nation by World Rugby. The national team has competed at the Rugby World Cup and made it as far as the quarter-finals. Their sevens team is also noted for their success, winning multiple Olympic gold medals, World Rugby Sevens Series and Rugby World Cup Sevens.
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