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Rugby
30th January
Small things count in 7s – Tubuna: Team needs to pay attention on certain areas
The Fiji 7s men’s team needs to pay attention to small things as it counts and lack of preparation was the downfall of the Fiji Airways Fiji 7s men’s team at the Sydney 7s yesterday,...
It’s a blackwash: New Zealand women and men do the double at Sydney Sevens
Anything the New Zealand rugby sevens women can do, well, the Kiwi men can manage just as impressively. That was the case at least in the Sydney leg of the world series at Allianz Stadium on Sunday night as the Black Ferns women and New Zealand men made it a memorable Kiwi double with dominant...
29th January
Sydney 7s: Fiji wins bronze
The Fiji Airways men’s 7s team finished in third place and took out the bronze medal at the Sydney 7s after a convincing win over France, 29-5. Fiji led at halftime 17-5, with two tries to Iowane Teba and one through Vuiviawa Naduvalo. This was despite France scoring the first try in the first half...
Sydney 7s: Fiji men’s side lose to South Africa in Cup semis
The Fiji Airways men’s 7s team has been bundled out of the Cup competition at the Sydney 7s after being defeated by a determined South African side in the semi-final, 31-12. South Africa dominated possession in the first spell and had a comfortable lead going into half-time, 17-0. Iowane Teba and Vuiviawa Naduvalo scored Fiji’s...
Tazim gives back
The Vatuwaqa Rugby Club and Flick Hygiene continued their seven year relationship yesterday. The club was grateful to businessman Mohammed Tazim for sponsoring their rugby kits. Tazim owns Flick Hygiene and said it was all about giving back to the community where he grew up. “I know how difficult it is for the players to...
Fijiana needs to play smart
The Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s team will need to play smart if they want to win the Sydney 7s. Coach Saiasi Fuli said since they were in one of the toughest pool they need to work hard to get to the top. “We are prepared well mentally during the week,” he said. “We know that...
Coach hails reps urgency
Head coach Ben Gollings says the players are well under control after a successful three win at the Sydney 7s. The Fiji Airways-sponosored 7s team beat Tonga 52- 7, Japan 54-0 and France 19-12 yesterday. Gollings said they had to set their benchmark against Tonga and Japan and it has been a good start. “It...
Vakacegu says it ‘worth the travel’
Traveling all the way down from Suva to Nadi to watch the Swire Shipping Drua take on the Melbourn Rebels at the Prince Charles Park was worth it, says Vesidrau Vakacegu. The 44-year-old said the four-hour bus ride was worth it and gave his praises to the Drua for a thrilling game. “It was such...
Foote recalls first visit
Melbourne Rebels coach Kevin Foote clearly remembers the last time he came to Fiji in 2017. Coaching Perth Spirit during the National Rugby Championship (NRC, Foote and his boys came to Suva and were met by a hostile crowd and humid weather they were not use to. They lost that day 5-41 to the Fijian...
Drua thrashes Rebels
The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua showed glimpses of what fans can expect during the Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific competition after beating the Melbourne Rebels 24-0 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi yesterday. Played in four 20-minute quarters and an unlimited interchange, the Drua crossed over for four tries to Tuidraki Samusamuvodre, Kitione Salawa,...
28th January
Sydney 7s: Fiji books semi-final spot against South Africa
The Fiji Airways men’s 7s team have booked a spot in the cup semifinals after defeating Great Britain 26-14 at the Sydney 7s. Fiji’s tries came from Viwa Naduvalo, Josua Vakurunabili, Waisea Nacuqu and Manueli Maisamoa. Fiji who led 19-7 at the breather only missed one conversion. The Fijians will now meet South Africa in the...
Drua defeat Rebels in trial match
The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua beat the Melbourne Rebels 24-0 at Prince Charles Park in Nadi in their pre-season trial match this afternoon. The hosts scored four tries against the visitors. At halftime both team were locked at nil-all. Drua coach Mick Barne was able to test his combinations before their Shop N Save Super...
Drua to make fans proud
The Swire Fiji Shipping Fijian Drua management aims for the team to make the country proud in the 2023 Shop N Save Supermarket Super Rugby Pacific competition. The Fijian Drua has named a 40-member squad for the season with 10 players as part of its development process. Fijian Drua head of commercial and marketing Shane...
Rebels to gauge standard
The Melbourne Rebels will using today’s pre-season trial match against the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua team in order to gauge their standard in the 2023 Super Rugby Pacific competition. Moses Sorovi, the Melbourne Rebles scrum-half and former Flying Fijians rep said the Fijian Drua would be an aggressive opponent. Sorovi said it would be a...
Drua ready to play
Nadi man and Fijian Drua player Tuidraki Samusamuvodre says it will be a proud moment to be “playing in front of our people”. “It will be a proud moment for me to don the Drua jersey for the first time in Nadi,” Samusamuvodre said in a statement. “The feeling will be like no other playing...
Tough clash – Rebels coach expects Fijians to give them good game
The Melbourne Rebels are expecting a tough encounter against the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua in the pre-season trial match at Prince Charles Park in Nadi this afternoon. The Rebels finished 10th in the 2022 Super Rugby Pacific competition while the Fijian Drua was ranked in 11th position in the points table. Rebels coach Kevin Foote...
27th January
‘Too early to assess performance’
SWIRE Shipping Fijian Drua chief executive officer Mark Evans says while it is too early to accurately assess the team’s performance, only having debuted in its first season last year, he adds it has captured Fiji’s imagination of the sport to a noteworthy degree. In an interview at the Drua home base in Nadi yesterday,...
Best rugby fans
THE world’s best rugby fans are in Fiji, says Swire Shipping Fijian Drua chief executive officer Mark Evans, when asked about their fan base after having only debuted in their first Super Rugby season. “Best fans in the world. No question,” Evans said. “I’ve been absolutely blown away by the level of enthusiasm, interest and...
Baselala – the next big name
PHILIP Blade Daniel Baselala could become the next big name in the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua side. Why? Because the 18-year-old has a bit of stardust in his name to add to the explosiveness of his game. In 2004, when Baselala was born to his parents Elenoa and Mosese, they didn’t know what to name...
Ready for action
THE world-famous Sydney Harbour Bridge provided the backdrop as captains of the 28 men’s and women’s teams gathered ahead of the HSBC Sydney Sevens which kicks off today. The high-speed, all-action event will continue tomorrow with the culmination of the pool phase and quarter-fi nals, before the semi-finals and finals on Sunday. With the popular...
7s platform – Coach Maps Plans to Help Side Lifts Series Standings
THE Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team plans to set a platform at the Sydney 7s which will propel it up the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series points table. The national side dropped to eighth spot in the series after losing to Argentina in the quarterfinal at the Hamilton 7s in New Zealand last week. A...
26th January
Fijiana 7s to miss Daveua’s service in Sydney
THE Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s team will be without one of their star players Rejieli Daveua for the HSBC World Rugby Women’s Series competition which starts in Sydney, Australia tomorrow. Daveua suffered a concussion during the Hamilton 7s last week and has to serve a two-week mandatory stand down period. The former national netball player...
Step up! We can’t afford to go out and rest – Gollings
THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s team will need to step up in the HSBC World Rugby 7s Series in a bid to get automatic qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The Ben Gollings-coached side dropped to eighth spot on the HSBC WSS after losing to Argentina 10-19 in the quarter-final of the Hamilton 7s in...
Coach’s expectations
THE Fiji Airways Fijian 7s team coach Ben Gollings expects other players to step into the shoes of Filipe Sauturga to target the 2023 HSBC World Sevens Series title. The side lost to Argentina in the quarter-final of the Hamilton 7s in New Zealand last week. Fijian 7s coach Ben Gollings said Filipe Sauturaga in...
Rugby-WRU chairman to set up external task force after sexism claims
(Reuters) – Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) chairman Ieuan Evans said he will set up an external task force to examine accusations of sexism, racism and misogyny within the governing body as it looks to address issues raised by a BBC Wales documentary. Several former female WRU employees, including Charlotte Wathan, who resigned as the WRU’s...
25th January
Baselala, Natave promoted to main squad
FORMER Suva Grammar School skipper and 18-year-old high school sensation Philip Baselala has been awarded a full-time playing contract and drafted into the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua squad. Baselala and 24-year-old Flying Fijians prop Livai Natave were previously part of the Drua’s development squad. They have been promoted to bolster the main playing squad in...
Daugunu answers call, joins team in Sydney
FIJI Corrections Service officer Tevita Daugunu has answered an SOS call to join the Fiji Airways Fiji 7s team in place of an injured Filipe Sauturaga ahead of the Sydney 7s this weekend. The tournament will be held over three days — Friday, Saturday and Sunday — at the Allianz Stadium. Ben Gollings and his...
Rugby-Welsh Rugby Union chief promises review after sexism allegations
(Reuters) – The chief executive of the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) said the governing body will review their processes and procedures in order to ensure the welfare of employees after allegations of sexism were made in a BBC documentary. In the BBC Wales documentary, aired on Monday, several former female WRU employees, including Charlotte Wathan,...
24th January
Los Pumas fight back to stun hosts
THE ever-improving Argentina outfit came back from a 12-point half-time deficit to produce a stunning 14-12 win in the men’s final against the All Blacks 7s in Hamilton. The Los Pumas turned the tables on the hosts and denied New Zealand a double at the FMG Stadium in Hamilton, after the Black Ferns took out...
Fiji slips on series
THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s sides fell on the overall standings of the 2022-23 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series points tables following poor performances at the Hamilton 7s tournament in New Zealand. The men’s side has dropped to eighth position with 50 points following their eighth-place finish over the weekend. The side had entered the...
