Fiji national rugby union team
Encyclopedia
The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
(PIRA) formerly along with Samoa
and Tonga
. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked
sixteenth in the world by the IRB
as of 26 September 2011. Despite this low rating, in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
Fiji defeated Wales
38–34 to claim a quarter final spot (theoretically placing them in the top 8 teams in the world) and proceeded to give eventual winners South Africa
a scare eventually going down 37–20.
Fiji is one of the few countries where rugby union
is the main sport. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population of around 950,000. One of the problems for Fiji is simply getting their players to play for the country as many have contracts in Europe
or with Super 14
teams where the money is far more rewarding. The repatriated salaries of its overseas stars have become an important part of some local economies. In addition a significant number of players eligible to play for Fiji end up representing Australia
or New Zealand
; two notable examples are the Fiji-born, but New Zealand-raised, cousins and All Blacks
Joe Rokocoko
and Sitiveni Sivivatu
and Wallabies
Wing Lote Tuqiri. Fiji has won the most Pacific Tri-Nations
Championships of the three participating teams. The cibi
war dance is performed by the Fiji
rugby team before each Test match. It has been used on the rugby field since 1939, though its origins date back to the country's warring times with its Pacific neighbours.
In December 1913, the All Blacks
, who had been touring so very successfully in California, were on their way back to New Zealand. The Fiji RFU arranged a game with them at Albert Park, the first representative match to be played in the colony. The Fiji team were Europeans. The All Blacks won 67–3; Fiji’s points came from a try scored by their captain and coach, PJ Sheehan. By 1914 a 'native competition' was started and in 1915 a Fiji Native Union was begun and became affiliated to the Fiji RFU
.
in Apia, Samoa
on 18 August 1924. Fiji’s 20-man squad came exclusively from the five registered native clubs of the time. The match was played at 7am to allow the Samoans time to get to work afterwards and was played on a pitch with a large tree on the halfway line. Fiji wore black and won 6–0 despite playing barefoot. The return match was won 9–3 by Samoa to draw the series. The first-ever Fiji test team continued their overseas adventure with a nine-match tour of Tonga. Though Fiji lost the first test played in Nukualofa
9–6, they were not to lose again, taking the second test 14–3 then drawing the decider 0–0. They won all six of the matches against non-test opposition.
Auckland University College were the first overseas side to visit Fiji in 1926, The Kiwi students played the Fiji Europeans and finished the three-match series with a win, loss and draw. Tonga also visited Fiji that year and for the first time Fiji played in their present strip of white jersey, palm tree badge and black shorts. The three match series finished level with Tonga winning the first test 9–6; Fiji winning the second 14–3 and the final game a 0–0 draw.
During the 1927 season, a General Meeting was called for the purpose of arranging a return visit to New Zealand at the invitation of Auckland University. Some 30 players expressed their willingness to make the trip, but after all arrangements had been made, there were insufficient players available so management cancelled the trip, much to the regret of Auckland.
Between 1924 and 1938 Fiji and Tonga played three test series every alternate year. During this period this was the only representative rugby union that Fiji played. Matches between the two Pacific nations were hard fought; many have claimed that the ancient feuding wars between the Islanders were transplanted onto the rugby field. Troubles during the third Test of Fiji’s 1928 tour to Tonga forced the game to be abandoned with Tonga losing 11–8
The first New Zealand Māori
team to visit Fiji came in 1938. Fijians played in boots for the first time but there was still a tendency to take off boots during the match and throw them to the touch-line. On the five-match tour, the Māori beat Fiji 2nd XV and Fiji Europeans before playing a three match series. The first test ended in a 3–3 draw, the second an 11–5 win for the Fijians and the Māori won the final test 6–3 to square the series.
In 1939 Fiji toured New Zealand
for the first time. Fiji's captain for that tour, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, decided that his side should have a war dance to rival the haka. He approached Ratu Bola, the high chief of the warrior clan of Navusaradave in Bau, who taught them the cibi which has been Fiji's pre-match ritual ever since. With many players still preferring to play barefoot, the Fijians played with a care-free spirit and created history by becoming the first team to go through a full tour of New Zealand unbeaten, winning seven and drawing one, a record that stands to this day. They played and beat the Māori again 14–4.
recover from the brink of bankruptcy in 1952. The Test series was drawn 1–1 in front of record crowds. Australia won the first test 15–9 but the Fijians took the second with a 17–15 win.
A second tour of Australia took place in 1954 and again drew record crowds. Again Australia won the first test but only by 22–19. The test series was drawn 1–1 after Fiji won the second test 18–16. The same year Fiji played host to Western Samoa. Fiji toured New Zealand again in 1957 and beat the Māoris 36–13 in Dunedin and 17–8 in Wellington, then defeated a strong Auckland team 38–17.
In 1964 Fiji toured Europe for the first time, they played five memorable games in Wales, culminating in a classic encounter in Cardiff that was talked about for years. Wales won 28–22 but conceded six tries for just the second time in their history. In 1970 a rampant Fijian side destroyed the Barbarians
29–9 at Gosforth. A last-minute try saw New Zealand safely through 14–13 over Fiji in Suva in 1974.
In August 1977 the British Lions
made a stopover in Fiji on the way home from their tour of New Zealand
. Fiji beat them 25–21 at Buckhurst Park, Suva. In 1982 Fiji beat Vancouver XV to begin a 15-match winning streak through to 1984.
Wales visited Suva the following year, where captain Dai Pickering's summer tour was to a premature end when he suffered concussion. Richard Moriarty took over and saw his side's 13–0 lead cut to a single point before Wales pulled away for a 15–22 win.
In 1987 Fiji made the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup
and seemed about to beat France
, the
In 1991 Rugby World Cup
Fiji lost all three of its matches and finished bottom of its pool. Wales' third test win over Fiji came in Suva in 1994. The tourists fielded a weakened line-up to allow all their squad a game, but they were good enough to run out 23–8 victors.
Fiji had a troubled tour of Wales and Ireland in 1995, losing six of nine games with defeat to Neath, Cardiff and Pontypridd. However, they managed to run Wales close at the Arms Park, losing only 15–19 win. They failed to qualify for the 1995 World Cup
having lost to Tonga and Western Samoa.
Fiji rebuilt ahead of the 1999 World Cup
, new coach Brad Johnstone
instilling discipline and determination into their set-piece play. They made a winning start by beating Canada and Namibia and again seemed about to beat France in Toulouse
when things went wrong. A controversial refereeing performance from Paddy O'Brien
was felt to have cost them a win over France, Fiji losing 28–19. They did make the quarter-final play-off but lost 45–24 to England
at Twickenham. Soon after the tournament Johnstone departed for Italy.
In 2001 Fiji were crowned Pacific Rim champions, defeating Samoa 28–17 in the final in Tokyo
. Fiji's played Wales again at the Millennium Stadium in November 2002. Two tries and 21 points from the boot of Stephen Jones helped the home side to a comfortable 58–14 win.
Fiji began their 2003 Rugby World Cup
qualifying campaign in June 2002 when the three leading Pacific Island nations faced each other in a round robin in the second round of the Oceania zone qualifiers. The Fijians started with defeats of Samoa and Tonga
, but their loss to Samoa on home soil meant that they had to beat Tonga by more than 20 points to finish top of the pool. This they duly did with a 47–20 win in Nadi. At the World Cup they beat Japan 41–13 and narrowly survived a scare against the US Eagles winning 19–18. However a 20–22 loss against Scotland and an 18–61 beating by France saw them finish third in their pool and fail to qualify for the knock-out stage.
Results since have been mixed for Fiji. Although they have traditionally been the strongest of the Pacific Nations, they were beaten 29–27 by New Zealand Maori in 2004 and went down 91–0 by the All Blacks. In July 2006, five Fiji internationals were banned from playing international rugby for the rest of the year following a drunken brawl in Japan after a Pacific Five Nations match.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/5244382.stm
Their 2007 season started off as one of Fiji's worst seasons. They had a very inexperienced team and lost to both pacific rivals Tonga and Samoa, and suffered heavy defeats to Australia and the Junior All Blacks. The only win for Fiji at the 2007 "Pacific 6 Nations" was against Japan, however they did manage an unexpected 14–14 draw against Australia A. With most of Fiji's more experienced players back in the team Fiji slowly improved in the 2007 world cup to qualify for the quarter finals for the first time in 20 years.
of the 2007 Rugby World Cup
along with Wales, Canada, Japan and Australia. After beating Japan and Canada in close matches, Fiji rested several key players against Australia for the crucial game against Wales. Australia defeated Fiji by 55–12. Fiji's fate in the tournament came down to a "winner advances" game against Wales which Fiji won 38–34 and qualified for the quarter-finals for the second time. Former Wallaby great Michael Lynagh
described the see-sawing match as one of the best matches "of all time". Fiji lost their quarter final match against South Africa, however their above expectations performance in the tournament resulted in them moving up to 9th in the world rankings – their highest ever position. Shannon Fraser and Gregg Mumm from Australia acted as assistant coaches for the period leading up to the world cup and were accredited for much of the Fijians sides success.
Head Coach:
Sam Domoni
Nat Uluiviti
, who also played for the Fiji national cricket team.
Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance
The Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance was set up in 2002 as a basis of co-operation between the Fiji, Samoa and Tonga Rugby Unions. Niue and the Cook Islands are also members of the Alliance, and while not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they can and do supply members to the Pacific...
(PIRA) formerly along with Samoa
Samoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
and Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked
IRB World Rankings
The IRB World Rankings is a ranking system for men's national teams in rugby union, managed by the International Rugby Board , the sport's governing body. The teams of the IRB's member nations are ranked based on their game results, with the most successful teams being ranked highest...
sixteenth in the world by the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
as of 26 September 2011. Despite this low rating, in the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
Fiji defeated Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
38–34 to claim a quarter final spot (theoretically placing them in the top 8 teams in the world) and proceeded to give eventual winners South Africa
South Africa national rugby union team
The South African national rugby union team are 2009 British and Irish Lions Series winners. They are currently ranked as the fourth best team in the IRB World Rankings and were named 2008 World Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards.Although South Africa was instrumental...
a scare eventually going down 37–20.
Fiji is one of the few countries where rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
is the main sport. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population of around 950,000. One of the problems for Fiji is simply getting their players to play for the country as many have contracts in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
or with Super 14
Super 14
Super Rugby is the largest and pre-eminent professional Rugby union competition in the Southern Hemisphere...
teams where the money is far more rewarding. The repatriated salaries of its overseas stars have become an important part of some local economies. In addition a significant number of players eligible to play for Fiji end up representing Australia
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
or New Zealand
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
; two notable examples are the Fiji-born, but New Zealand-raised, cousins and All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
Joe Rokocoko
Joe Rokocoko
Josevata Taliga "Joe" Rokocoko is a professional New Zealand rugby union player. Rokocoko is known for his speed and strength which has accounted for his prolific try strike rate...
and Sitiveni Sivivatu
Sitiveni Sivivatu
Sitiveni Waica Sivivatu is a New Zealand rugby union footballer, playing on the position of a wing. He was largely successful in the 2005 Super 12 season playing for the Chiefs, and acquired a starting position in the All Blacks. He has scored 29 tries in 45 tests...
and Wallabies
Australia national rugby union team
The Australian national rugby union team is the representative side of Australia in rugby union. The national team is nicknamed the Wallabies and competes annually with New Zealand and South Africa in the Tri-Nations Series, in which they also contest the Bledisloe Cup with New Zealand and the...
Wing Lote Tuqiri. Fiji has won the most Pacific Tri-Nations
Pacific Tri-Nations
The Pacific Tri-Nations is the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. It was established in 1982 with the Samoan team, then known as Western Samoa, winning the tournament...
Championships of the three participating teams. The cibi
Cibi
The Cibi is a Fijian meke of Bauan origin and is a war dance, generally performed before battle or after battle, it came to prominence when it was performed by the Fiji national rugby union team before each match.-Origins:...
war dance is performed by the Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
rugby team before each Test match. It has been used on the rugby field since 1939, though its origins date back to the country's warring times with its Pacific neighbours.
Early years
Rugby was first played in Fiji by European and Fijian soldiers of the Native Constabulary at Ba, on Viti Levu Island in 1884. In 1913 a Union was founded for the European settlers.In December 1913, the All Blacks
All Blacks
The New Zealand men's national rugby union team, known as the All Blacks, represent New Zealand in what is regarded as its national sport....
, who had been touring so very successfully in California, were on their way back to New Zealand. The Fiji RFU arranged a game with them at Albert Park, the first representative match to be played in the colony. The Fiji team were Europeans. The All Blacks won 67–3; Fiji’s points came from a try scored by their captain and coach, PJ Sheehan. By 1914 a 'native competition' was started and in 1915 a Fiji Native Union was begun and became affiliated to the Fiji RFU
Fiji Rugby Union
Fiji Rugby Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Fiji. It is divided into over 30 provincial unions. The Fiji Rugby Union is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance , along with Samoa and Tonga. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population...
.
Inter war period
Fiji played their first international against Western SamoaSamoa national rugby union team
The Manu Samoa is the men's representative side of the Samoa Rugby Union in both the 15's and the 7's for international competitions. The Samoa Rugby Union is owned by the affiliated rugby unions of Samoa. In Samoa, Manu Samoa is in honour of a famous Samoan warrior. From 1924 to 1997 Samoa was...
in Apia, Samoa
Samoa
Samoa , officially the Independent State of Samoa, formerly known as Western Samoa is a country encompassing the western part of the Samoan Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. It became independent from New Zealand in 1962. The two main islands of Samoa are Upolu and one of the biggest islands in...
on 18 August 1924. Fiji’s 20-man squad came exclusively from the five registered native clubs of the time. The match was played at 7am to allow the Samoans time to get to work afterwards and was played on a pitch with a large tree on the halfway line. Fiji wore black and won 6–0 despite playing barefoot. The return match was won 9–3 by Samoa to draw the series. The first-ever Fiji test team continued their overseas adventure with a nine-match tour of Tonga. Though Fiji lost the first test played in Nukualofa
Nukuʻalofa
Nukualofa is the capital of the Kingdom of Tonga. It is located on the north coast of the island of Tongatapu, in the southern most island group of Tonga.-Mythological origins:...
9–6, they were not to lose again, taking the second test 14–3 then drawing the decider 0–0. They won all six of the matches against non-test opposition.
Auckland University College were the first overseas side to visit Fiji in 1926, The Kiwi students played the Fiji Europeans and finished the three-match series with a win, loss and draw. Tonga also visited Fiji that year and for the first time Fiji played in their present strip of white jersey, palm tree badge and black shorts. The three match series finished level with Tonga winning the first test 9–6; Fiji winning the second 14–3 and the final game a 0–0 draw.
During the 1927 season, a General Meeting was called for the purpose of arranging a return visit to New Zealand at the invitation of Auckland University. Some 30 players expressed their willingness to make the trip, but after all arrangements had been made, there were insufficient players available so management cancelled the trip, much to the regret of Auckland.
Between 1924 and 1938 Fiji and Tonga played three test series every alternate year. During this period this was the only representative rugby union that Fiji played. Matches between the two Pacific nations were hard fought; many have claimed that the ancient feuding wars between the Islanders were transplanted onto the rugby field. Troubles during the third Test of Fiji’s 1928 tour to Tonga forced the game to be abandoned with Tonga losing 11–8
The first New Zealand Māori
New Zealand Maori rugby union team
New Zealand Māori is a rugby union team that traditionally plays teams touring New Zealand. A prerequisite for playing in this team is that the player is to have Māori whakapapa or genealogy. In the past this rule was not strictly applied. In the past non-Māori players who looked Māori were often...
team to visit Fiji came in 1938. Fijians played in boots for the first time but there was still a tendency to take off boots during the match and throw them to the touch-line. On the five-match tour, the Māori beat Fiji 2nd XV and Fiji Europeans before playing a three match series. The first test ended in a 3–3 draw, the second an 11–5 win for the Fijians and the Māori won the final test 6–3 to square the series.
In 1939 Fiji toured New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
for the first time. Fiji's captain for that tour, Ratu Sir George Cakobau, decided that his side should have a war dance to rival the haka. He approached Ratu Bola, the high chief of the warrior clan of Navusaradave in Bau, who taught them the cibi which has been Fiji's pre-match ritual ever since. With many players still preferring to play barefoot, the Fijians played with a care-free spirit and created history by becoming the first team to go through a full tour of New Zealand unbeaten, winning seven and drawing one, a record that stands to this day. They played and beat the Māori again 14–4.
Post war era
Fiji successfully toured New Zealand again in 1951. They beat the New Zealand Māori 21–14. Fiji's first tour of Australia helped the Australian Rugby UnionAustralian Rugby Union
The Australian Rugby Union is the governing body of rugby union in Australia. It was founded in 1949 and is a member of the International Rugby Board the sport's governing body. It consists of eight member unions, representing each state and territory...
recover from the brink of bankruptcy in 1952. The Test series was drawn 1–1 in front of record crowds. Australia won the first test 15–9 but the Fijians took the second with a 17–15 win.
A second tour of Australia took place in 1954 and again drew record crowds. Again Australia won the first test but only by 22–19. The test series was drawn 1–1 after Fiji won the second test 18–16. The same year Fiji played host to Western Samoa. Fiji toured New Zealand again in 1957 and beat the Māoris 36–13 in Dunedin and 17–8 in Wellington, then defeated a strong Auckland team 38–17.
In 1964 Fiji toured Europe for the first time, they played five memorable games in Wales, culminating in a classic encounter in Cardiff that was talked about for years. Wales won 28–22 but conceded six tries for just the second time in their history. In 1970 a rampant Fijian side destroyed the Barbarians
Barbarian F.C.
The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain...
29–9 at Gosforth. A last-minute try saw New Zealand safely through 14–13 over Fiji in Suva in 1974.
In August 1977 the British Lions
British and Irish Lions
The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
made a stopover in Fiji on the way home from their tour of New Zealand
1977 British Lions tour to New Zealand
In 1977 the British Lions rugby union team toured New Zealand. The Lions played 26 matches, including four internationals against the All Blacks. They lost the series against the All Blacks by three matches to one. The team played as the British Isles in their internationals against the All Blacks...
. Fiji beat them 25–21 at Buckhurst Park, Suva. In 1982 Fiji beat Vancouver XV to begin a 15-match winning streak through to 1984.
Modern era
Fiji played their first full test against Wales in Cardiff in 1985, the home pack dominating in a 40–3 win with two tries to Phil Davies. Fiji were also heavily beaten by Llanelli and Cardiff, but lost by just one point in their test with Ireland.Wales visited Suva the following year, where captain Dai Pickering's summer tour was to a premature end when he suffered concussion. Richard Moriarty took over and saw his side's 13–0 lead cut to a single point before Wales pulled away for a 15–22 win.
In 1987 Fiji made the quarter-final of the Rugby World Cup
Rugby World Cup
The Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
and seemed about to beat France
France national rugby union team
The France national rugby union team represents France in rugby union. They compete annually against England, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales in the Six Nations Championship. They have won the championship outright sixteen times, shared it a further eight times, and have completed nine grand slams...
, the
In 1991 Rugby World Cup
1991 Rugby World Cup
The 1991 Rugby World Cup was the second edition of the Rugby World Cup, and was jointly hosted by England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France; at that time, the five European countries that participated in the Five Nations Championship making it the first Rugby World Cup to be staged in the...
Fiji lost all three of its matches and finished bottom of its pool. Wales' third test win over Fiji came in Suva in 1994. The tourists fielded a weakened line-up to allow all their squad a game, but they were good enough to run out 23–8 victors.
Fiji had a troubled tour of Wales and Ireland in 1995, losing six of nine games with defeat to Neath, Cardiff and Pontypridd. However, they managed to run Wales close at the Arms Park, losing only 15–19 win. They failed to qualify for the 1995 World Cup
1995 Rugby World Cup
The 1995 Rugby World Cup was the third Rugby World Cup. It was hosted and won by South Africa, and was the first Rugby World Cup in which every match was held in one country....
having lost to Tonga and Western Samoa.
Fiji rebuilt ahead of the 1999 World Cup
1999 Rugby World Cup
The 1999 Rugby World Cup was the fourth Rugby World Cup, and the first to be held in rugby union's professional era. The principal host nation was Wales, although the majority of matches were played outside the country, shared between England, France, Scotland and Ireland...
, new coach Brad Johnstone
Brad Johnstone
Bradley Ronald Johnstone , known as Brad Johnstone, is a former New Zealand rugby union footballer and a current coach...
instilling discipline and determination into their set-piece play. They made a winning start by beating Canada and Namibia and again seemed about to beat France in Toulouse
Toulouse
Toulouse is a city in the Haute-Garonne department in southwestern FranceIt lies on the banks of the River Garonne, 590 km away from Paris and half-way between the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea...
when things went wrong. A controversial refereeing performance from Paddy O'Brien
Paddy O'Brien (rugby referee)
Paddy O'Brien ONZM is a New Zealand international rugby union referee, and currently head of the International Rugby Board's Referee Board...
was felt to have cost them a win over France, Fiji losing 28–19. They did make the quarter-final play-off but lost 45–24 to England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
at Twickenham. Soon after the tournament Johnstone departed for Italy.
In 2001 Fiji were crowned Pacific Rim champions, defeating Samoa 28–17 in the final in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
. Fiji's played Wales again at the Millennium Stadium in November 2002. Two tries and 21 points from the boot of Stephen Jones helped the home side to a comfortable 58–14 win.
Fiji began their 2003 Rugby World Cup
2003 Rugby World Cup
The 2003 Rugby World Cup was the fifth Rugby World Cup and was won by England. Originally planned to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, all games were shifted to Australia following a contractual dispute over ground signage rights between the New Zealand Rugby Football Union and Rugby World...
qualifying campaign in June 2002 when the three leading Pacific Island nations faced each other in a round robin in the second round of the Oceania zone qualifiers. The Fijians started with defeats of Samoa and Tonga
Tonga national rugby union team
The Tonga national rugby union team is nicknamed Ikale Tahi . Like their Polynesian neighbours, the Tongans start their matches with a war dance – the Kailao . They are members of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance along with Fiji and Samoa...
, but their loss to Samoa on home soil meant that they had to beat Tonga by more than 20 points to finish top of the pool. This they duly did with a 47–20 win in Nadi. At the World Cup they beat Japan 41–13 and narrowly survived a scare against the US Eagles winning 19–18. However a 20–22 loss against Scotland and an 18–61 beating by France saw them finish third in their pool and fail to qualify for the knock-out stage.
Results since have been mixed for Fiji. Although they have traditionally been the strongest of the Pacific Nations, they were beaten 29–27 by New Zealand Maori in 2004 and went down 91–0 by the All Blacks. In July 2006, five Fiji internationals were banned from playing international rugby for the rest of the year following a drunken brawl in Japan after a Pacific Five Nations match.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/international/5244382.stm
Their 2007 season started off as one of Fiji's worst seasons. They had a very inexperienced team and lost to both pacific rivals Tonga and Samoa, and suffered heavy defeats to Australia and the Junior All Blacks. The only win for Fiji at the 2007 "Pacific 6 Nations" was against Japan, however they did manage an unexpected 14–14 draw against Australia A. With most of Fiji's more experienced players back in the team Fiji slowly improved in the 2007 world cup to qualify for the quarter finals for the first time in 20 years.
2007 Rugby World Cup
Fiji were placed in Pool B2007 Rugby World Cup - Pool B
Pool B of the 2007 Rugby World Cup began on 8 September and was completed on 29 September. The pool was composed of 2003 hosts Australia, as well as Canada, Fiji, Japan and Wales....
of the 2007 Rugby World Cup
2007 Rugby World Cup
The 2007 Rugby World Cup was the sixth Rugby World Cup, a quadrennial international rugby union competition inaugurated in 1987. Twenty nations competed for the Webb Ellis Cup in the tournament, which was hosted by France from 7 September to 20 October. France won the hosting rights in 2003,...
along with Wales, Canada, Japan and Australia. After beating Japan and Canada in close matches, Fiji rested several key players against Australia for the crucial game against Wales. Australia defeated Fiji by 55–12. Fiji's fate in the tournament came down to a "winner advances" game against Wales which Fiji won 38–34 and qualified for the quarter-finals for the second time. Former Wallaby great Michael Lynagh
Michael Lynagh
Michael Lynagh is a former Australian rugby union footballer who played as a Fly-half.Lynagh represented Australia from 1984 to 1995, playing at both inside centre and fly half. Lynagh was capped 72 times for Australia, and was captain from 1993 to 1995. He was the world points scoring record...
described the see-sawing match as one of the best matches "of all time". Fiji lost their quarter final match against South Africa, however their above expectations performance in the tournament resulted in them moving up to 9th in the world rankings – their highest ever position. Shannon Fraser and Gregg Mumm from Australia acted as assistant coaches for the period leading up to the world cup and were accredited for much of the Fijians sides success.
Record
Their Test match record against all nations, updated to 9 November 2009, is as follows:| Nation | Games | Won | Lost | Drawn | Percentage of wins |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25% | |
| 18 | 2 | 15 | 1 | 11.1% | |
| Barbarians Barbarian F.C. The Barbarian Football Club, usually referred to as the Barbarians and nicknamed the "Baa-Baas", is an invitational rugby union team based in Britain... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| British and Irish Lions British and Irish Lions The British and Irish Lions is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales... |
1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% |
| 8 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 75% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0% | |
| 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0% | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0% | |
| 8 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 50% | |
| 9 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 77.8% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0% | |
| 27 | 7 | 18 | 2 | 25.9% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 45 | 27 | 15 | 3 | 60% | |
| 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 25% | |
| 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 80 | 53 | 23 | 3 | 66.7% | |
| 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 75% | |
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 100% | |
| 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 12.5% | |
| Total | 250 | 127 | 113 | 10 | 51.0% |
Current squad
Fiji's 30-man World Cup squad.- Caps updated before the World Cup.
Head Coach:
Sam DomoniSam Domoni
Samuela Ravanua Domoni Junior is a former fijian rugby player and the current national coach of the Fiji national rugby union team. He played as a lock or flanker during his rugby days. He is and weighs...
Notable players
- Isa NacewaIsa NacewaIsakeli Nacewa is a New Zealand-born rugby union footballer of Fijian descent. He is a utility back and represents Leinster Rugby in the RaboDirect Pro12 and Heineken Cup competitions. He previously represented the Blues in the Super Rugby competition and Auckland in the Air New Zealand Cup...
- Sireli BoboSireli BoboIsireli Bobo is a Fijian rugby union footballer, currently playing for the Paris club Racing Métro 92 in the Top 14 club competition in France.-Career:...
- Rupeni CaucaunibucaRupeni Caucaunibuca-Early years:Caucaunibuca or "Rups", as called by those who knew him, grew up most of his life in the village. Caucaunibuca's father was a church minister based around the Bua province on the northern parts of Fiji so his family frequently moved....
- Vilimoni DelasauVilimoni DelasauVilimoni Waqatabu Delasau is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing. His nickname is Delz.-Career:...
- Sisa KoyamaiboleSisa KoyamaiboleSisaro Dautu Koyamaibole is a Fijian rugby union player. His usual position is number eight. Koyamaibole has been capped 38 times by| Fiji, including playing in the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups, and has played for the country in rugby sevens tournaments...
- Maleli KunavoreMaleli KunavoreMaleli Kunavore is a Fijian rugby union footballer.-Career:He plays as a centre, wing or fullback . He plays for Toulouse in the Top 14 and Heineken Cup. He was found by Fiji coach Wayne Pivac when he spotted Maleli playing in the Colonial Cup for the Coastal Stallions. He was selected for the...
- Kele LeawereKele LeawereSenikavika Kelemete Leawere is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a lock.-Career:He is the elder brother of former Fiji sevens rep, Mika Leawere and Sekove Leawere...
- Nicky LittleNicky LittleNicky Tyrone Little in Tokoroa, New Zealand, is a rugby union footballer. He plays at fly-half. He is a nephew of All Blacks centre Walter Little, but represents Fiji at international level.-Career:...
- Norman LigairiNorman LigairiNorman Armstrong Senibici Ligairi is a Fijian rugby union player who usually plays as a fullback. He represents Fiji at international level in both the 15-a-side and 7-a-side game...
- Noa NadrukuNoa NadrukuNoa Nadruku is a Fijian former rugby footballer of the 1980s and 90s. After representing Fiji in rugby union he played rugby league in Australia for the Canberra Raiders and was named as one of the best 25 players for the Raiders' 25-year anniversary...
- Apenisa NaevoApenisa NaevoRatu Apenisa Naevo is a Fijian rugby union footballer. His usual position is at lock. He has earned over 30 caps for the national team, after debuting in 1996 and going onto represent them at the Rugby World Cup....
- Jacob RauluniJacob RauluniJacob Rauluni is currently the most prominent in a family of international halfbacks. His father, Taito, played halfback for Fiji, as does his brother Mosese. And his first cousin Waisale Serevi began his rugby career at halfback....
- Semisi NaevoSemisi NaevoRatu Meli Semisi Naevo Saukawa is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a flanker. His nickname is Mountain Bear. As such, he enjoys eating. His father, Joeli Lesavua, and two brothers, Apenisa and Manoa Naevo, are also Fiji reps.-Career:He plays sevens for Fiji...
- Akapusi QeraAkapusi QeraAkapusi Qera is a Fijian professional rugby union player. A Flanker or No.8, Qera is from a sporting family; his father was an international cricketer for Fiji and his brother also played international rugby for Fiji. Qera is a current test international and has also captained the national side...
- Seru RabeniSeru RabeniRatu Seru Raveive Rabeni is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a centre or wing for Stade Rochelais....
- Bill CavubatiBill CavubatiBill Cavubati is a former professional rugby union player. He played for Fiji and his position of choice was tighthead prop....
- Timoci NagusaTimoci NagusaTimoci Nagusa is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing. He plays his rugby for French club, Montpelier. He is 1.88m and weighs 88 kg. He worked as a Police constable in Fiji before his rugby career took off...
- Simon RaiwaluiSimon RaiwaluiSimon Raiwalui is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He currently plays for French club Racing Métro 92. He has also represented Fiji on a number of occasions. He has also been included in the Pacific Islanders touring team for Europe in November 2006...
- Mosese Rauluni
- Iferemi Rawaqa
- Kameli RatuvouKameli Ratuvou-Career:He is currently playing for professional English club, Saracens he joined the squad from Fiji for the 2006/07 season. His usual position is on the wing even though he can also play at centre and fullback...
- Viliame SatalaViliame SatalaViliame Satala born 19 July 1972 in Lautoka Fiji is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a centre or wing. His nickname is "The Stretcher" for his ability to flatten opposition players....
- Waisale SereviWaisale SereviWaisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi is a former Fijian rugby union footballer, and coach. Although he played fifteen-a-side rugby throughout his playing career, Serevi is most notable for his achievements in rugby sevens....
- Ilivasi TabuaIlivasi TabuaIlivasi Sevia Tabua Tamanivalu is a former fijian rugby union footballer who played at international level for both Fiji and Australia as flanker.He also coached the Fiji national team at the 2007 Rugby World Cup....
- Netani TaleiNetani TaleiNetani Edward Talei is a Fijian rugby union player. He currently plays for Edinburgh in the RaboDirect Pro12. He plays as a number eight or flanker.-Career:...
- Aisea TuilevuAisea TuilevuAisea Tuilevu Kurimudu is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He has represented the national team on numerous occasions, including at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia...
- Joeli Veitayaki
- Joeli VidiriJoeli VidiriJoeli Vidiri is a retired Fijian rugby union footballer who also played for the All Blacks. He played as a wing.-Career:...
- Marika VunibakaMarika VunibakaMarika "Dawainavesi" Vunibaka is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He has represented the national team on numerous occasions, including at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales and the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia....
- Napolioni NalagaNapolioni NalagaNapolioni Vonowale Nalaga is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing, flanker and Centre. He is nicknamed Napoleon or Naps or Napo...
- Apolosi SatalaApolosi SatalaApolosi Vonowale Satala is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing, centre, number eight and Flanker . His nickname is Apo. He is the cousin of Namoli steelman, Viliame Satala. He is married to Olivia and they have two children and is a private in the Army serving with 1st Battalion...
- Sireli NaqelevukiSireli NaqelevukiSireli Masibalavu Naqelevuki plays as a prop in rugby sevens but in traditional 15s he is a wing or centre. He made his rugby sevens debut in 2002 in Dubai Sevens. He is 1.93m tall and weighs 118 kg. Contracted to the FRU, he played in seven of the eight IRB 7s tournaments when Fiji won the...
Nat Uluiviti
Nat Uluiviti
Nacanieli Mataika "Nat" Uluiviti was a Fijian cricketer and Rugby Union player.-Cricket:A right-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler, he played first-class cricket for both the Fiji national cricket team and Auckland in the 1950s.He made his first-class debut against Otago on Fiji's...
, who also played for the Fiji national cricket team.
See also
- Pacific Tri-NationsPacific Tri-NationsThe Pacific Tri-Nations is the traditional rugby union series between Tonga, Fiji and Samoa. It was established in 1982 with the Samoan team, then known as Western Samoa, winning the tournament...
- Fiji Rugby UnionFiji Rugby UnionFiji Rugby Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Fiji. It is divided into over 30 provincial unions. The Fiji Rugby Union is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance , along with Samoa and Tonga. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population...
- Rugby World CupRugby World CupThe Rugby World Cup is an international rugby union competition organised by the International Rugby Board and held every four years since 1987....
- Fiji national rugby union team (sevens)Fiji national rugby union team (sevens)The Fiji Sevens side is one of the most popular and successful Sevens teams in the world and has won the Hong Kong Sevens a record nine times since its inception in 1976. Fiji has also won the Sevens World Cup twice, winning that event in 1997 and 2005...
- Fiji national rugby league teamFiji national rugby league team-Competitions:Fiji have participated in:*Pacific Cup *World Cup *World Sevens *Superleague World Nines *Superleague Oceania Tournament *Pacific Rim Competition -Results:...
- Pacific Islanders rugby union teamPacific Islanders rugby union teamThe Pacific Islanders rugby union team is an international rugby union team, started in 2004, that represents Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. While Niue and the Cook Islands are not members of the Pacific Tri-Nations competition, they did supply players to the squad for the Pacific Islanders' tour in 2004...
- Colonial CupColonial CupThe Colonial Cup was the second highest level of competition within Fijian rugby union and was intended to be a stepping stone for local players into international rugby union...
- Sanyo CupSanyo CupThe Digicel Cup is Fiji's national provincial championship. The competition runs from May to September and is contested for between the country’s top 12 provincial sides...