Fiji national rugby sevens team

Fiji
Union Fiji Rugby Union
Coach(es) Gareth Baber
Captain(s) Jerry Tuwai
Top scorer Waisale Serevi (1310)
Most tries Nasoni Roko (125)
Team kit
Change kit
Change kit
World Cup
Appearances (First in 1993)
Best result Champions (1997, 2005)
World Rugby series (2005–2006, 2014–2015, 2015–2016)
Fiji national rugby sevens team
Medal record
Olympic Games
2016 Rio de JaneiroTeam
Pacific Games
1999 Santa RitaTeam
2003 SuvaTeam
2015 Port MoresbyTeam
2007 ApiaTeam
2011 NoumeaTeam
(South) Pacific Mini Games
2009 RarotongaTeam
2013 Mata-UtuTeam

The Fiji national rugby sevens team is one of the most popular and successful rugby sevens teams in the world. Fiji has won the Hong Kong Sevens a record seventeen 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). Fiji also won the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil, the country's first medal in any event.[1]

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.

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, other staff were terminated, and the team lacked funds for basic supplies such as rugby balls and bottled water.[2]

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 Cups 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.

Honours

Quadrennial tournaments

Fiji Sevens Rugby Team 2009

Summer Olympics

Commonwealth Games

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Fiji has twice won the Rugby World Cup Sevens — first in 1997, and again in 2005. Both times, Waisale Serevi was chosen as player of the tournament.

World Cup Sevens record
Year Round Position Played Won Lost Drew Most tries Most points
Scotland 1993 Semi Finalists 3rd 9 7 2 0
Hong Kong 1997 Winners 1st 7 7 0 0 M. Vunibaka (12) W. Serevi (117)
Argentina 2001 Semi Finalists 3rd 7 6 1 0
Hong Kong 2005 Winners 1st 8 8 0 0
United Arab Emirates 2009 Quarterfinals 5th 4 3 1 0
Russia 2013 Third Place 3rd 6 4 2 0
United States 2018 Semi Finalists 4th 4 2 2 0
Total2 Titles6/6453780M. Vunibaka (23)W. Serevi (297)

World Rugby Sevens Series

Fiji has won the World Rugby Sevens Series three times — first in 2005-06, and most recently in 2015-16. Fiji are one of only two teams — along with New Zealand — to finish in the top four of the World Series every season since its inception.

Sevens Series record
Year Position Rounds Points
1999–00 2nd 10 180
2000–01 3rd 9 124
2001–02 4th 11 122
2002–03 3rd 7 94
2003–04 4th 8 84
2004–05 2nd 7 88
2005–06 1st 8 144
2006–07 2nd 8 128
2007–08 4th 8 98
2008–09 2nd 8 102
2009–10 4th 8 108
2010–11 4th 8 122
2011–12 2nd 9 161
2012–13 3rd 9 121
2013–14 3rd 9 144
2014–15 1st 9 164
2015–16[7] 1st 10 181
2016–17 3rd 10 150
2017–18 2nd 10 180
Total3 Titles1462117

Players

Current squad

Fiji team to the 2018 London Sevens.

  1. Sevuloni Mocenacagi
  2. Josua Vakurinabili
  3. Kalione Nasoko
  4. Paula Dranisinukula
  5. Semi Radradra
  6. Jasa Veremalua
  7. Josua Tuisova
  8. Vatemo Ravouvou
  9. Jerry Tuwai (c)
  10. Waisea Nacuqu
  11. Eroni Sau
  12. Amenoni Nasilasila
  13. Alasio Sovita Naduva (13th man)

Former players

Player records

The following section lists player records from the World Rugby Sevens Series.

Most tries: (updated September 2018)[8]

  1. Nasoni Roko (125)
  2. Osea Kolinisau (122)
  3. Samisoni Viriviri (120)
  4. William Ryder (105)
  5. Emosi Vucago (98)

Most points: (updated September 2018)[9]

  1. Waisale Serevi (1,310)
  2. Osea Kolinisau (1,272)
  3. William Ryder (987)
  4. Vatemo Ravouvou (981)
  5. Nasoni Roko (857)

Head coaches

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)
  1. ↑ "Fiji thrash Great Britain to win Olympic men's rugby sevens gold". Guardian. 11 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
  2. ↑ “No Money, No Problem for Fiji Rugby Sevens Team”, New York Times, Emma Stoney, March 28, 2014.
  3. ↑ “Fiji storms to sevens gold, claiming first-ever Olympic medal”, Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 12 August 2016.
  4. ↑ “A potted history of sevens at the Commonwealth Games”, WorldRugby.org, 6 April, 2018.
  5. ↑ “Fiji suspended from 2010 Commonwealth Games”, Herald Sun, Julie Tullberg, October 12, 2009.
  6. ↑ “Fiji drops Games boycott threat”, news.com.au, March 27, 2014.
  7. ↑ “Fiji secure back-to-back titles after day one in London”, Telegraph, Oliver Pickup, 21 May 2016.
  8. ↑ WorldRugby.org
  9. ↑ WorldRugby.org
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