Nickname(s) | Fijiana | |
---|---|---|
Union | Fiji Rugby Union | |
Head coach | Inoke Male | |
Captain | Sereima Leweniqila | |
| ||
World Rugby ranking | ||
Current | 19 (as of 4 September 2023) | |
Highest | 16 (2022) | |
Lowest | 32 (2007) | |
First international | ||
Fiji 15–27 Samoa ( Nukuʻalofa, Tonga; 14 April 2006) | ||
Biggest win | ||
Fiji 152–0 Papua New Guinea ( Papakura, New Zealand; 9 July 2022) | ||
Biggest defeat | ||
Fiji 19–84 England ( Auckland, New Zealand; 8 October 2022) | ||
World Cup | ||
Appearances | 1 (2021) |
Rank | Change* | Team | Points |
---|---|---|---|
1 | England | 96.18 | |
2 | New Zealand | 90.56 | |
3 | France | 88.00 | |
4 | Canada | 86.27 | |
5 | Australia | 81.61 | |
6 | Italy | 76.50 | |
7 | Scotland | 75.80 | |
8 | Wales | 73.41 | |
9 | United States | 72.57 | |
10 | Ireland | 72.35 | |
11 | Japan | 69.38 | |
12 | South Africa | 65.17 | |
13 | Spain | 65.15 | |
14 | Russia | 61.10 | |
15 | Samoa | 59.57 | |
16 | Netherlands | 58.98 | |
17 | Fiji | 58.65 | |
18 | Hong Kong | 58.31 | |
19 | Kazakhstan | 55.97 | |
20 | Sweden | 52.72 | |
*Change from the previous week |
The Fiji women's national rugby union team are a national sporting side of Fiji, representing them at rugby union. They played their first test against Samoa in 2006, and compete annually in the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. In 2022, they created history when they scored the third-highest points in both Men's and Women's Rugby at the Oceania Championship when they trounced Papua New Guinea 152–0. They made their first Rugby World Cup appearance at the delayed tournament in New Zealand.
Fiji played their first match in 1997 against a visiting United States XV's team. They played their first international test match against Samoa in the one-off Women's Pacific Tri-Nations in 2006.
Ten years after the Women's Pacific Tri-Nations, the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship was established. The first tournament was held in 2016 between Fiji and Papua New Guinea at the ANZ National Stadium in Suva. [2] The tournament was also part of the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup qualification process. [2] Fiji beat Papua New Guinea 37–10 to win the inaugural Oceania Championship and progress to the next stage of qualifications. [3]
Fiji met Hong Kong and Japan in a Repechage tournament, but lost both matches and did not qualify for the 2017 World Cup. [4]
In 2018, Fijiana won the second edition of the Oceania Championship and successfully defended their title after winning all their matches. [5]
The 2019 Oceania Championship also served as a qualifier for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. It was also the first time that the Oceania region was granted a spot at the World Cup. New Zealand and Australia had already qualified from the previous World Cup, Fijiana won the remaining spot and qualified for their first World Cup. [6] [7]
Fiji played two test matches against Australia and Japan in 2022 at Brisbane. [8] [9] It would be their first test match against the Wallaroos and only their second time to meet Japan. [10] Fiji won the 2022 Oceania Rugby Championship in New Zealand. [11] [12] [13] They created history when they scored the third-highest points in both Men's and Women's Rugby at the 2022 Oceania Championships as they trounced Papua New Guinea 152–0 in Papakura, New Zealand. [14] [15]
In 2022, Fijiana were overwhelmed in their first Rugby World Cup match by England who ran in 14 tries and recorded an 84–19 victory. [16] [17] They later achieved their first World Cup win when they defeated South Africa 21–17. [18] [19] Their win against the Springbok Women moved them up five places to their highest ranking of 16th from 21st. [20] [21] France kept Fiji scoreless in their last World Cup match with a score of 44–0. [22] [23]
Rugby World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Round | GP | W | D | L | PF | PA | ||||||||||||
Fiji was not invited to any of the World Cups between 1991 and 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||
2010 | Did not qualify | ||||||||||||||||||
2014 | |||||||||||||||||||
2017 | |||||||||||||||||||
2021 | Pool stage | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 149 | ||||||||||||
Total | 1/9 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 40 | 149 | ||||||||||||
|
(Full internationals only, updated to 20 May 2023)
Opponent | First game | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Win % |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 2022 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
Canada | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
England | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
France | 2022 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0% |
Hong Kong | 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
Japan | 2016 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0% |
Papua New Guinea | 2016 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Samoa | 2006 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 57.14% |
South Africa | 2022 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Tonga | 2006 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
Summary | 2006 | 25 | 13 | 0 | 12 | 52% |
Fijiana 15’s Head Coach Inoke Male named his 29-member squad for the 2023 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. [24] [25] [26]
The following Fiji players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001: [27]
|
Coach | Years |
---|---|
Seremaia Bai | 2016 |
Senirusi Seruvakula | 2020–2022 |
Inoke Male | 2023– |
The Tonga women's national rugby union team are a national sporting side of Tonga, representing them at rugby union. They compete annually in the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship.
The Papua New Guinea women's national rugby union team played their first international against Fiji in 2016. They compete annually in the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship, and have not qualified for the Rugby World Cup as yet.
Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship is an international women's rugby union competition contested by women's national teams from Oceania. The current Champions are Samoa who claimed their first Oceania title at the Championship in Australia. Fiji has won the most titles with three.
Reapi Ulunisau is a Fijian rugby player. She represents Fiji internationally in rugby sevens and fifteens. She won a bronze medal at the delayed 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, and a silver medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Sera Naiqama is an Australian rugby union player. She plays Lock for the Wallaroos at an international level, and for the NSW Waratahs in the Super W competition.
Asinate Serevi is a Fijian rugby union player. She represented the United States in international rugby before switching to play for Fiji in 2022. She competed for Fiji in their Rugby World Cup debut in 2022.
The 2022 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship is the fourth edition of the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. The competition will be held in Papakura and Pukekohe in New Zealand from 9 to 18 July. The tournament returns for the first time since 2019. It will be the first time that Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga will play since 2020 and will provide Fiji with valuable preparation ahead of the 2021 Rugby World Cup.
Joma Rubuti is a Fijian rugby union player.
Akosita Ravato is a Fijian rugby union player. She plays for Fiji internationally and for the Fijiana Drua in the Super W competition.
Sulita Waisega is a Fijian rugby union player. She competed for Fiji at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Fulori Nabura is a Fijian rugby union player.
Mereoni Vonosere Namositava is a Fijian rugby union player. She plays as a Tighthead Prop for Fiji.
Raijieli Victoria "Rachel" Laqeretabua is a Fijian rugby union player. She has played for Richmond and Saracens in the Premier 15s. She made her test debut for Fiji in 2022 and competed at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup. She also played for the Fijiana Drua before joining the Western Force in the Super W competition.
Merewalesi Rokouono is a Fijian rugby league, rugby union and sevens player. She competed for both Fiji in the 2021 Rugby League World Cup at rugby league and for Fiji in rugby union at the 2021 Rugby World Cup. She signed with the North Queensland Cowboys for the 2023 NRL Women's season.
Sereima Leweniqila is a Fijian rugby union player. She captained Fiji at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.
Merevesi Fuga Ofakimalino is a Fijian rugby union player. She plays for Suva in the ANZ Marama Championship and for Fiji at an international level.
Rejieli Sau Uluinayau is a Fijian rugby union and sevens player.
Bitila Tawake is a Fijian rugby union player. She competed for Fiji at the delayed 2021 Rugby World Cup. She also plays for the Fijiana Drua in the Super W competition.
Talei Qalo Wilson is a Fijian rugby union player. She plays for the Brumbies in the Super W competition.