Rugby
South Africa crowned men’s champions in Dubai
South Africa ended a run of three defeats against New Zealand to win a seventh Emirates Airline Dubai Rugby Sevens title at 7he Sevens Stadium on Saturday. The first Cup final meeting between the two...
Waratahs in race for Nakarawa after Fijian star gets sacked by Racing Metro
BRILLIANT Fijian star Leone Nakawara could be a shock signing by the Waratahs for the 2020 season after the skilful lock was sacked by Racing 92 for returning late from the Rugby World Cup. Nakawara, who was a member of the Fijian gold-medal-winning sevens team in Rio in 2016, got back to Paris two weeks...
Valesu rues 7s play
FORMER Fiji 7s halfback Apenisa Valesu says discipline and missed tackles was the cause of Fiji’s early exit during the opening round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series which has resulted in our 7s gladiators missing out on a cup quarterfinal spot in Dubai for the first time in 21 years. “It isn’t the...
7th December
Fiji bows out of Dubai 7s cup competition
DESPITE the 24-14 win against France in their last pool game at the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series Dubai 7s tournament, the Fiji Airways Fiji 7s team failed to progress to the cup quarterfinal stage with France and Argentina going forward from Pool A. A derelict performance filled with indiscipline from Fiji saw them loss...
6th December
Argentina stuns Fiji in Dubai
THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s side lost its second pool match 24-21 against Argentina at the Dubai 7s. Tries to Sevuloni Mocenacagi and Aminiasi Tuimaba saw Fiji leading 14-5 at half time. Vilimoni Botitu scored Fiji’s only try in the second spell. Botitu and Waisea Nacuqu were sin binned in the match. Fiji needs a...
Momi receives new uniform from Maika Sivo
MOMI rugby sevens team was boosted with a new pair of uniform donated by NRL’s top try scorer Maika Sivo. Sivo who hails from Momi village in Nadroga, returned to Australia last week after he visited his relatives and surprising his brothers with their new set of jersey. Momi team captain Kitione Nasavuilagi thanked Sivo...
Holiday Skills Camp underway for elite players
MORE than 70 players who were selected from the Deans competition and the Vodafone Kaji competition were part of the Fiji Rugby Union Holiday Skills Camp which will continue throughout the holiday season. Speaking at the training grounds earlier today, Elite Player Pathway Academy manager Bill Gadolo said there was an abundance of talented young...
Six teams victorious as world’s best put on a show in Dubai
THE HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series 2020 resumed in Dubai with victories for New Zealand, USA, Australia, Canada, France and Spain on day one of the women’s competition. Defending champions New Zealand, HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series leaders USA, Australia, Canada, France and Spain were all victorious on day one of the Emirates Airline Dubai...
Baber not wasting time
FIJI Sevens coach Gareth Baber is not wasting any time as the team gears up for the first leg of the 2019-2020 HSBC World Sevens Series in Dubai. Baber said paying attention to other teams as they prepare was not in his books as he wanted to focus on moving the team forward. “I don’t...
Resilience claims U15 7s crown
THE Resilience under-15 rugby 7s team dominated the Nadroga Sevens tournament when the Natabua High School students bagged another title in two weeks participating in local 7s tournaments. The Lautoka-based side clinched the under-15 title at Lawaqa Park creating another upset after the Ba West Kids claimed the under-13 title. The Natabua side won the...
Seruvakula applies for Flying Fijians coaching role
FIJIAN Drua head coach Senirusi Seruvakula has applied for the vacant Flying Fijians coach position that was advertised last week. Seruvakula has had a colourful coaching background grooming local talents to becoming professional rugby players renowned across the South Pacific and the world. One of his latest achievements was assisting John McKee and the local...
Chand sets rugby mission
RUGBY has its own way of inspiring young players, but for Avnit Chand, its more than just loving to watch rugby but he has a mission to accomplish. The 13-year-old aims to becoming a future national rep and he made his rugby debut in the Nadroga Sevens tournament playing for Tuva rugby team. The prop...
Seruvakula guns for top Flying Fijians coach job
FIJIAN Drua head coach Senirusi Seruvakula has confirmed with Fiji Times Sports that he also applied for the Flying Fijians coaching job opportunity. “Yes, I’ve also applied for the position and I have nothing to lose but I will take my chances and give it a shot,” said Seruvakula in a telephone interview yesterday. Seruvakula...
Gatland keen to work with new All Blacks coach – whoever it is
WELLINGTON (Reuters) – Warren Gatland says that like most New Zealanders he is paying close attention to the All Blacks’ search for a new coach and that he will be happy to support Steve Hansen’s successor when that decision is made. Former Wales coach Gatland took himself out of the running for the All Blacks...
5th December
Nausori rugby celebrates achievement
THE Nausori Rugby Club celebrated its achievement with families and friends to mark another milestone in their rugby career. Coach Kalivati Cavuilati said this was to give back to their families and friends for their never-ending support. “We would like to thank the Turaga na Komai Nausori Ratu Lepani Tagicakibau for his endless support to...
‘It is the biggest achievement of our lives’
SUVA, 05 DECEMBER 2019 (WORLD RUGBY) – Rusila Nagasau and Lavenia Tinai will never forget the last month, a whirlwind few weeks in which they have helped Fijiana qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games in sevens and a first-ever Rugby World Cup in 15s. Their journey has taken them from Fiji’s capital Suva for...
New Zealand out to defend title at World Rugby Sevens Series opener in Dubai
DUBAI, 05 DECEMBER 2019 (INSIDETHEGAMES) – New Zealand will be looking to defend their title when the opening men’s tournament of the 2019-2020 World Rugby Sevens Series is held in Dubai over the coming three days. Taking place at The Sevens Stadium from tomorrow through to Saturday (December 7) in the United Arab Emirates city,...
Dark horse
Baber rates Kavekini FIJI’S latest sevens inclusion Kavekini Tabu will be unleashed at the 2019-2020 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series this Friday in Dubai. The younger brother of Sevuloni Mocenacagi and Isoa Tabu, has been labelled “the man who could make a difference”. Fiji Airways Fiji 7s men’s coach Gareth Baber said the nimble young...
4th December
Young duo eye national jumper
THE hunger of becoming a national sevens rep in the future forced Ilisoni Kuriyalavou from Draiba village and Ratu Meli Nakasavu from Keiyasi village in the interior of Navosa to leave their homes and travel 120 kilometres to Namatakula village wanting to play for the Ratu Filise under 17 team in the Nadroga rugby sevens tournament that...
Nadroga players boost morale of young ruggers
NADROGA rugby union players boost the morale of the young ruggers participating in the Nadroga rugby sevens tournament at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. Former and current national reps like Setefano Somoca, Emosi Vucago, Ratunaisa Navuma, Josese Kurokavu, Eremasi Radrodro and Aisea Natoga were present at the ground to support grassroots rugby. Nadroga rugby team veteran...
Fiji star Suliasi Vunivalu confirms his move to rugby union
MELBOURNE Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu will leave rugby league to switch to rugby union at the end of the 2020 NRL season. The 24-year-old will join rugby union team Queensland Reds following the conclusion of the 2020 NRL season with Melbourne. Vunivalu scored 73 tries in 95 games for the Storm, while going over 12...
Israel Folau, Rugby Australia agree on a settlement
FORMER Wallaby Israel Folau has finally settled his explosive legal dispute with Rugby Australia (RA). According to reports by the New Zealand Herald, the 30-year-old was after $14 million in compensation for wrongful termination after RA sacked him for a code of conduct breach when he said on Instagram earlier this year “hell awaits” gay...
Nadroga 7s: Navosa duo sacrifice holiday for rugby
THE hunger of wanting to be future national sevens rep forced Ilisoni Kuriyalavou from Draiba Village and Ratu Meli Nakasavu from Keiyasi Village in Navosa’s interior to travel 120km to Namatakula Village to play rugby. The duo wanted to play for the Ratu Filise under 17 team competing in the Nadroga rugby sevens tournament that kicked off...
Baber expects tough competition in Dubai
FIJI 7s coach Gareth Baber expects a tough competition in Dubai. Fiji’s first pool match of the 2019/2020 HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series kicks off on Friday. Leading Pool A, Fiji faces Argentina, Japan and France with all teams expected to come out firing in the opening round. “It has got to be tough, it’s...
3rd December
Homosexuality vilification complaint lodged against Folau
SYDNEY, 03 DECEMBER 2019 (AAP) – A prominent gay rights campaigner has written to the Anti-Discrimination Board of NSW to accuse ex-Wallaby Israel Folau of homosexuality vilification. Activist Garry Burns on Sunday wrote to the board’s president complaining about Folau’s infamous April Instagram post in which he warned hell awaits homosexuals. Burns has demanded Folau...
Taupau’s call to arms to help Samoa amid measles epidemic
SYDNEY, 03 DECEMBER 2019 (NRL) – Manly star Martin Taupau is leading the campaign to spread Christmas cheer to Samoa as the country battles a measles outbreak that has claimed more than 50 lives. As of the latest update, 48 children aged four or under have died from the epidemic and 3,728 cases of the...
Samoa 7s player returns home from Dubai after new-born baby contracts measles
APIA, 03 DECEMBER 2019 (TVNZ) – A Samoan 7s player had to leave Dubai and head home to Samoa for a family emergency. Manu Samoa Sevens player Laaloi Leilua’s four-week-old baby girl has contracted measles as the deadly outbreak of the disease continues in the nation. Samoa 7s Head Coach Sir Gordon Tietjens confirmed Leilua’s...
Nadroga 7s tournament to host 161 teams
THE Nadroga Rugby 7s tournament has released its pool for the inaugural event that will host 161 teams around the country to participate in four days of competition at Lawaqa Park and Kalevu ground in Sigatoka. The tournament kicks off tomorrow with six different categories. The under 13 grades start off their competition tomorrow and...
FRU expands Quick Rip program
THE Fiji Rugby Union in partnership with New Zealand Rugby has expanded the Quick Rip program on Kadavu. The Quick Rip program was introduced last year in an effort to promote a healthy Fiji through sports. FRU aims to expand this program throughout Fiji from the outer islands up to the interior parts of the...
Baber: More than enough potential in Fiji
FIJI 7s coach Gareth Baber believes there is more than enough potential in Fiji to secure the sevens Olympics gold medal until the 2044 Olympic Games. Baber highlighted the natural flair Fijians had for the sport and skill set on hand was more than enough to keep the gold medal in Fiji where it belongs....
