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Rugby
‘Expect a good match’
FIJI Water Flying Fijians head coach Simon Raiwalui is “expecting a really good match” when they take on Portugal in a Rugby World Cup pool C match at Stade de Toulouse in Toulouse on Monday....
Raiwalui: No pointing fingers at certain positions
FIJI Water Flying Fijians head coach Simon Raiwalui says there will be “no pointing fingers at certain positions” after the below-par performance against Georgia on Sunday. He was referring to a question regarding the performance of fly-half Teti Tela in the close 17-12 win at the Stade de Bordeaux. Tela’s decision-making in controlling Fiji’s game...
Jets upbeat | Skipper Cup semi-final clash
“We will treat the clash against Naitasiri as the final”. Nadi Jets manager Epeli Qoro had this to say ahead of their much anticipated encounter against Naitasiri in the Skipper Cup semi-final at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva this Saturday. The defending champions go into the match riding high on confidence after their 22-20...
Fiji back in training
The FIJI Water Flying Fijians return to training today after having a day off on Wednesday. The side will have an open training session where students from a nearby school will be allowed to watch the players go through the motions. Head coach Simon Raiwalui will name his matchday 23-man squad on Friday for the...
Fiji secures spot in 2027 RWC
FIJI has booked its spot in the 2027 Rugby World Cup scheduled to be held in Australia. The FIJI Water Flying Fijians will finish in the top 3 of pool C in France regardless of the game against Portugal. The top 3 teams from the four pools automatically qualify for the 2027 RWC. Our Pacific...
‘Support the brothers’
“Support the brothers from Fiji.” That’s the call from a Pacific Islander living in Bordeaux, France, as the FIJI Water Flying Fijians remain the only team from the region to hopefully make the quarter-finals of the Rugby World Cup. With Samoa and Tonga likely to exit the tournament in the pool stages, Fiji faces Portugal...
Fiji needs to beat Portugal for quarters berth
With one round of the Rugby World Cup 2023 pool phase left, only two teams – Wales and England – have cemented spots in the quarter-finals. The FIJI Water Flying Fijians will need to beat Portugal in Toulouse on Monday to join Wales from pool C in the last eight. Australia will hope for a...
England “focused on Samoa” from position of luxury
By Mitch Phillips LILLE, France (Reuters) – England’s camp are sticking to their “one game at a time” mantra ahead of Saturday’s final Pool D game against Samoa but with top spot already assured they have the luxury of using the match as pressure-free preparation for the quarter-finals. After a two-week break since hammering Chile...
Confident Uruguay give All Blacks pause for thought ahead of Lyon clash
By Nick Mulvenney LYON, France (Reuters) – The All Blacks are expected to roll over Uruguay with some ease in their final World Cup pool match on Thursday but scrum coach Greg Feek said the way Los Teros had taken on France earlier in the tournament had given them some pause for thought. New Zealand...
Italy look to forget All Blacks debacle ahead of France clash
By Nick Mulvenney LYON, France (Reuters) -Coach Kieran Crowley said Italy would be focused on process not outcome in their final pool game against France as they look to revive their World Cup campaign after last week’s crushing loss to the All Blacks. The Azzurri could still qualify for the quarter-finals out of Pool A...
Uruguay promise All Blacks a fight in dream World Cup finale
By Nick Mulvenney LYON, France (Reuters) -Uruguay captain Andres Vilaseca said facing New Zealand in the final match of their World Cup campaign was the perfect way to round out the tournament and that Los Teros would fight for every minute of Thursday’s clash. Uruguay troubled France in their opening 27-12 loss to the tournament...
Ireland laugh off idea of collusion to knock out Springboks
LYON, France (Reuters) – Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt has laughed off the idea that there might be collusion with Scotland to ensure both teams go through to the World Cup quarter-finals at the expense of defending champions South Africa. All three teams are still in the hunt for a knockout spot with the Springboks...
Internal standards enough motivation for All Blacks, says Foster
By Nick Mulvenney LYON, France (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Ian Foster has given an insight into how the coach of a team that has just run in 14 tries against a Six Nations team motivates his players for a match against a side that has never come close to beating tier one opposition. The All...
Cane returns as captain as All Blacks tweak team for Uruguay
By Nick Mulvenney LYON, France (Reuters) -Sam Cane will return as All Blacks captain in their final World Cup Pool A game against Uruguay on Thursday, when a bonus-point win would guarantee New Zealand a spot in the knockout rounds. Coach Ian Foster made nine changes to the starting side that thrashed Italy 96-17 at...
Cane returns as captain as All Blacks tweak team for Uruguay
LYON, France (Reuters) -Sam Cane will return as All Blacks captain in their final World Cup Pool A game against Uruguay on Thursday, when a bonus-point win would guarantee New Zealand a spot in the knockout rounds. Coach Ian Foster made nine changes to the starting side that thrashed Italy 96-17 at the same OL...
France captain Dupont meeting training goals, to see surgeon on Monday
PARIS (Reuters) – France captain Antoine Dupont is meeting his goals at training following his return to their World Cup squad after surgery on a broken cheekbone and will know on Monday if he can resume playing rugby, the team’s health manager said on Tuesday. The scrumhalf also passed a return-to-play protocol and will see...
4th October
Internal standards enough motivation for All Blacks, says Foster
LYON, France (Reuters) – New Zealand’s Ian Foster has given an insight into how the coach of a team that has just run in 14 tries against a Six Nations team motivates his players for a match against a side that has never come close to beating tier one opposition. The All Blacks take on...
Ireland laugh off idea of collusion to knock out Springboks
LYON, France (Reuters) – Ireland assistant coach Mike Catt has laughed off the idea that there might be collusion with Scotland to ensure both teams go through to the World Cup quarter-finals at the expense of defending champions South Africa. All three teams are still in the hunt for a knockout spot with the Springboks...
Uruguay promise All Blacks a fight in dream World Cup finale
LYON, France (Reuters) -Uruguay captain Andres Vilaseca said facing New Zealand in the final match of their World Cup campaign was the perfect way to round out the tournament and that Los Teros would fight for every minute of Thursday’s clash. Uruguay troubled France in their opening 27-12 loss to the tournament hosts, led Italy...
RWC 2023 | Credit card for kava; ‘Pass the message back to Eddie’
The FIJI Water Flying Fijians coaching team says they would take up Australia coach Eddie Jones’ offer to buy the team kava after they beat Portugal. Jones had suggested during a press conference on Monday that he would offer players in his team his credit card to buy kava for the Flying Fijians in an...
Male selects Fijiana XVs squad for Dubai
Vodafone Fijiana XVs head coach Inoke Male has named his 30-member squad for the upcoming Women’s XV 3 tournament scheduled to take place in Dubai next week. With veteran center Sereima Leweniqila as captain leading the side, Male has included five debutants, with three being overseas-based players. “We have five debutants in the squad, and...
Rasaku gets early release
Kaminieli Rasaku’s contract with his French club Aviron Bayonnais has been terminated. In a statement released by the club, the contract was terminated at the player’s initiative. “At the player’s initiative, Kaminieli Rasaku and Aviron Bayonnais Rugby Pro terminated the contract which bound them since July 2022 and until June 30, 2024,” the club stated....
RWC 2023 | ‘Scrambling rugby, cool heads’ help team in win
FIJI Water Flying Fijians assistant coach Brad Harris says scrambling rugby coupled with some cool heads saw them past a gritty Georgian side last week. Fiji had to fight from 9-0 down in the first half to come out with 17-12 victory against the Lelos at Stade de Bordeaux. After reviewing the match, Harris said...
RWC 2023 | Senior reps sit out
A number of FIJI Water Flying Fijians senior players sat out training on Monday to recover from the bruising battle against Georgia. Missing were captain Waisea Nayacalevu and Semi Radradra. Fiji assistant coach Brad Harris said there were no major injuries to the side and that some players were still on the mend. “There’s a...
RWC 2023 | One mission … ‘Beat Portugal first; qualifying for top 8 will take care of itself’
Simon Raiwalui is focused on one mission alone — to beat Portugal first and foremost. Qualifying for the 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final will take care of itself. Not wanting to jinx their chances of a last-eight spot, the former Fiji Test lock forward is sticking to the game plan he put together when he...
3rd October
Suva to host semis
It will be a rugby festival at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva this Saturday when the Skipper Cup semi-finals kick off. The senior division and the under-20 semi-finals will be played in the capital. In the main semis, Suva battles Nadroga at 1pm while Nadi takes on Naitasiri at 3pm. In the U20s, Naitasiri...
Lomani rates reserves
The FIJI Water Flying Fijians were taken to the wire by a determined Georgian side in their 17-12 victory at Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France on Sunday. Georgia took a 9-nil lead in the first spell and Fiji came back in the second half with the help of impact players. Flying Fijians scrumhalf Frank...
Georgia coach hails Fiji
Georgia head coach Levan Maisashvili gave credit to the FIJI Water Flying Fijians for coming from a 9-0 deficit to win 17-12 during their Rugby World Cup pool C match at Stade de Bordeaux on Sunday. Fiji had to work overtime to secure the win and keep its quarter-final hopes alive. Trailing 9-0 at half-time,...
Portugal first | Raiwalui not bothered by ‘outside noise’
Fiji Water Flying Fijians head coach Simon Raiwalui is not being carried away by the potential of a Rugby World Cup quarter-final spot and is instead putting all his focus on Portugal first. He knows a win against the Os Lobos must be achieved first at any cost. They will play in Toulouse on Monday,...
One point away | 2023 Rugby World Cup quarter-final
The Fiji Water Flying Fijians are just one point away from reaching the quarter-final of the 2023 Rugby World Cup which would be a first in 16 years. Australia secured a bonus point win yesterday in their 34-14 win over Portugal, moving the Wallabies to second on the standings in Pool C with 11 points...
