The Fiji Times

McKee optimistic of chances at World Cup

FLYING Fijians head coach John McKee is confident that his warriors will produce some of the best outcomes in the history of Fiji rugby in the Rugby World Cup in September but with agitation. The Fiji Airways-sponsored side proved that nothing is impossible when they defeated a highly rated France rugby side in the November...

Rugby – Boyd moves to allay Biggar injury concerns

LONDON (Reuters) – Northampton coach Chris Boyd has moved to allay Wales fans’ fears over the fitness of Dan Biggar ahead of next week’s Six Nations clash with England after he was taken off less than 20 minutes into the Saints’ win over Sale on Saturday. Biggar, who kicked four penalties when Wales beat Italy...

Rugby – Biggar injury worry for Wales

LONDON (Reuters) – Wales suffered a potential injury setback ahead of next week’s crunch Six Nations clash with England as flyhalf Dan Biggar limped off during Northampton’s Premiership win over Sale on Saturday. The experienced Biggar, who kicked four penalties when Wales beat Italy last week, lasted only 19 minutes. It was unclear how bad...

Smith scores late try as 14-man Highlanders beat Chiefs

(Reuters) – All Blacks scrumhalf Aaron Smith scored a 76th minute try as the Otago Highlanders beat the Waikato Chiefs 30-27, refusing to roll over despite being reduced to 14 men in the opening game of Super Rugby in Hamilton on Friday. The Highlanders played with a man short for the final 15 minutes with...

Pulu’s World Cup hopes suffer blow, Pocock has another concussion

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Toni Pulu’s hopes of playing for Australia at the Rugby World Cup have suffered a major blow with the winger expected to have surgery on Monday to repair a fractured cheekbone he sustained following a head clash in his ACT Brumbies debut. Pulu, who joined the Canberra-based side this season with an...

Genia, Cooper partnership gives Cheika World Cup alternatives

SYDNEY (Reuters) – The resurrection of Will Genia and Quade Cooper’s inside backs pairing paid dividends for the Melbourne Rebels on Friday and commentators said the partnership may also give Wallabies coach Michael Cheika options ahead of the Rugby World Cup. With Genia and Cooper reunited at Super Rugby level for the first time in...

Foul play review committee to conduct Tomkinson’s judicial review

THE Highlanders Super Rugby team outside centre Sio Tomkinson’s judicial review will be conducted today by the SANZAAR Foul Play Review Committee on a alleged dangerous tackle found against him on their 30-27 win against the Chiefs in the first round of the Super Rugby competition last Friday. Tomkinson was red carded for an alleged...

Martintar 7s: Hurricanes take 7s trophy

HIDEAWAY Hurricanes 7s team was crowned the new champion of the Martintar 7s tournament at Nadi’s Prince Charles Park yesterday. The Nadroga-based side survived a tough battle against the high flying Ratu Filise team to win 8-5 after both teams were levelled 5-all in the last minute of the game. Player of the tournament Aborosio...

Escott Shield camp shuns strong challenge

DEFENDING champions of the Escott Shield, Police Blues defeated a determined Ratu Kadavulevu School Old Boys rugby club 19-13 in the first round meeting of the Suva Rugby Union Escott Shield competition at Nasova ground yesterday. “The first game will always be tough,” said Police Blues coach Solo Nute. RKSOB drew first blood taking an...

Koroibete and Naisarai’s winning start

MARIKA Koroibete and Isi Naisarani’s Melbourne Rebels made a winning start to the 2019 Super Rugby season after defeating Tevita Kuridrani and Henry Speights Brumbies 34-27 in Canberra last night. According to the Super Rugby website, the Rebels led 22-19 at half-time. In another match played last night, the Highlander edged the Chiefs 30-27. Three...

Tabadamu wins Vailima Marist 7s

THE Tabadamu 7s side has won the Vailima Marist 7s defeating Frankies Tama Uli Salelologa team 22-10 in the final this afternoon. In the semi-finals, Tabadamu defeated Apia Maroons 19-12 while they defeated Lefaga 39-nil in the quarters. Teams from New Zealand, Samoa and Fiji participated in the competition.

Martintar 7s: Nasilasila instrumental in Ratu Filise’s win

FORMER national 7s playmaker Amenoni Nasilasila was instrumental in Ratu Filise’s 24-17 quarter-final win over LFC Army during the Martintar 7s this afternoon. The star player was at his usual best engineering his team’s attacking prowess to deny the soldiers a win. Nasilasila was ably assisted by Ifereimi Tovilevu and Sovita Nagatagata helping the side...

Martintar 7s: Police secure semi final spot

RUGBY 7s giant Police has secured a spot in the Martintar 7s semi final after defeating Vatemo Ravouvou’s McDonald’s Saunaka in the quarter final at Nadi’s Prince Charles Park. The lawmen continued their fine form after winning the McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast 7s last month to stamp their mark at the Martintar 7s. Defending champion...

Tabadamu through to Vailima Marist 7s semis

FIJIAN side Tabadamu is through to the final of the Vailima Marist 7s underway in Samoa. This after Tabadamu edged Apia Maroons 19-12 in the semi-final of the tournament earlier today, according to reports on the Marist Samoa website. Tabadamu led 12-nil at half-time. Earlier in the quarter-finals, Tabadamu thumped Lefaga 39-nil.

Tabadamu wins second game in Samoa

TABADAMU has made it two wins out of two matches at the Vailima Marist Sevens underway in Samoa. After leading 17-12 at the break, Tabadamu proved too strong in the end defeating defending champions Auckland Marist 38-12. Tabadamu had earlier defeated Iva White Lions 52-nil in their opening match. Meanwhile, Pio Tuwai and Joeli Lutumailagi’s...

Flying start for Tabadamu in Samoa

THE Tabadamu 7s side has made a flying start at the Vailima Marist Sevens which started in Samoa today. The side thumped Iva White Lions 52-0 in their opening match. Auckland Marist is the third team in their pool. Meanwhile, former national sevens reps Pio Tuwai and Joeli Lutumailagi are also part of the tournament....

Tikaram makes call

TOURNAMENT organisers of the 43rd Fiji Bitter Marist 7s have reiterated the call that the first 64 teams to pay their registration in full will be considered for this year’s tournament. In previous years teams have had to miss out on the tournament because of failure to pay their registration on time. “Kind reminder to...

Gau starts talent search to replace Serevi

THE search has begun for the next Waisale Serevi as the Gau Island-based Kacau Knights 7s team prepares for its debut at the Martintar 7s tournament in Nadi this weekend. The team is on a campaign to produce another great 7s player to replace the wizard of the code, Waisale Serevi. “On the world stage...

Great Qoro laid to rest

FORMER Flying Fijians flanker Manasa Qoro was laid to rest at his Nawaka Village burial ground in Nadi yesterday. A host of former Fijian internationals and provincial rugby players including Ilai Korotamana, Aseali Hughes, Belasio Vukiwai and Penisoni Waki attended the funeral service alongside Epeli Turuva and Maika Toga who travelled from overseas. Qoro made...

7s team prepare for next round of series

THE Fiji Airways Fiji 7s team began preparations today for the next round of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series. Coach Gareth Baber has confirmed that all players injured in the last tournament in Sydney had returned to the team. “There is still a niggle and bump that players have but nothing that’s going to...

Nasoko makes plea

FIJI Airways Fiji 7s captain Kalione Nasoko has called on the fans to have faith in the team after their semi-final loss to New Zealand at the recent HSBC World Rugby Sydney 7s tournament. The off-load master who led the Fiji 7s team to two tournament wins this season (Cape Town and Hamilton) said the...

Martintar 7s boost

THIS weekend’s 6th Martintar 7s received a timely boost from two special players in Fiji Airways Flying Fijians skipper Dominiko Waqaniburotu and Fiji Airways Fiji 7s flyer Alasio Naduva. The France-based Fiji 15s skipper has played a vital role in the success of this tournament since its humble beginning in 2013. The income raised during...

Rugby – England’s ‘boot’ now anything but boring

LONDON (Reuters) – For decades sniffy southern hemisphere rugby fans have belittled England’s achievements for being merely “biff and boot” as if penalties and drop goals were not worthy ways of winning when set alongside the supposedly superior quest for tries. Now the boot is still doing the damage, but it is no longer off...

Scotland lose forward Wilson for rest of Six Nations

EDINBURGH (Reuters) – Scotland flanker Ryan Wilson has been ruled out of the rest of the Six Nations after suffering knee ligament damage in the defeat by Ireland at Murrayfield, the Scottish Rugby Union said on Monday. Wilson was forced off at halftime in the 22-13 loss on Saturday as Scotland suffered a major setback...

Rugby

Flying Fijian helps club win in ‘French Top 14 Rugby’ competition