Fiji national rugby sevens team
Fiji after defeating South Africa for the gold medal at the 2005 World Games.
The Fiji national rugby sevens team represents Fiji in rugby sevens. One of the most popular and successful rugby sevens teams in the world, it has won the Hong Kong Sevens a record twelve times since its inception in 1976. Fiji has also won the Rugby World Cup Sevens twice — in 1997 and 2005 (coincidentally, the two times it has been held in Hong Kong). The Fiji national rugby union sevens team is currently the reigning World Rugby Sevens Series Champions in World Rugby and will feature in the Rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics in 2016.
History
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 were 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.
Waisale Serevi is highly regarded as the best player ever in sevens rugby. Nicknamed the "maestro", played in this side from 1989 to 2006 leading them to countless tournament victories, two Sevens World Cup in 1997 and 2005. He also coached/played in the side from 2005-2007 guiding Fiji to their first World Sevens Series title in the 2005/2006 season.
Tournament history
Summer Olympics
Rugby World Cup Sevens
Fiji has twice won the Rugby World Cup Sevens — first in 1997, and again in 2005.
World Cup Sevens record |
Year |
Round |
Position |
Played |
Won |
Lost |
Drew |
1993 |
Semi Finalists |
3rd |
9 |
7 |
2 |
0 |
1997 |
Winners |
1st |
7 |
7 |
0 |
0 |
2001 |
Semi Finalists |
3rd |
7 |
6 |
1 |
0 |
2005 |
Winners |
1st |
8 |
8 |
0 |
0 |
2009 |
Quarterfinals |
5th |
4 |
3 |
1 |
0 |
2013 |
Third Place |
3rd |
6 |
4 |
2 |
0 |
2018 |
Qualified |
Total | 2 Titles | 6/6 | 41 | 35 | 6 | 0 |
Honours
|
Hong Kong 7s
- 1977
- 1978
- 1980
- 1981
- 1984
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1997 (also the Rugby 7s World Cup)
- 1998
- 1999
- 2005 (also the Rugby 7's World Cup)
- 2009
- 2012
- 2013
- 2015
|
Current Squad
Non-Travelling
- Alivereti Veitokani
- Nemani Nagusa
- Sevuloni Mocenacagi
- Emosi Mulevoro
Former players
- Apenisa Valesu
- Isikeli Ratulevu
- Levi Tamaivena
- Watekini Vunisa
- Joseva Vunisa
- Setareki Tawake
- Joeli Vidiri
- Aisea Tuilevu
- Samisoni Rabaka
Coaches
- Ben Ryan (Head Coach)
- Waisale Serevi
- Manasa Bari
- Ratu Kitione Vesikula
- Alifereti Dere
- Pauliasi Tabulutu
- Rupeni Ravonu
- Alifereti Cawanibuka
- Timoci Wainiqolo
- Tomasi Cama
- Senivalati Laulau
See also
References
- McLaren, Bill A Visit to Hong Kong in Starmer-Smith, Nigel & Robertson, Ian (eds) The Whitbread Rugby World '90 (Lennard Books, 1989)
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