The Fiji Times

Fuli offers positive tone

FORMER national 7s rep and Fijiana 7s coach Saiasi Fuli is of the firm belief that the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games is a wise decision. “That’s the best decision for all countries made by the IOC and the Prime Minister of Japan,” the Army’s Sukuna Bowl winning coach said. “This...

Baber supports Olympic Games call

FIJI 7s coach Gareth Baber has supported the decision made by the International Olympics Committee to postpone the 2020 Olympic Games because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Baber explained how important it is to give everyone the opportunity to look after their loved ones during this difficult time. “As a team we respect the decision because...

Fiji Kava inks deal with Fiji Rugby

MEDICINAL kava health and wellness company Fiji Kava has inked a three year partnership to be the exclusive kava supplier for Fiji Rugby and the grassroots community. “Representing Fiji is one of the proudest moments for our players, however competing against the world’s best teams on a regular basis does present quite significant physical and...

Fuli supports games postponement

FORMER national 7s rep and Fijiana 7s coach Saiasi Fuli is of the firm belief that the postponement of the 2020 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games is a wise decision. “That’s the best decision for all countries made by the IOC and the Prime Minister of Japan,” the Army’s Sukuna Bowl winning coach said. “This...

‘As a player I have goals to achieve’

FIJI 7s rep Josua Vakurinabili is making adjustments with his training program despite the Olympic Games cancellation and the postponement of the World Rugby Sevens Series because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Vakurinabili married his sweetheart Sereima Taiji last week. Today he is a proud father after the birth of his son Ratu Luke Vidovi last...

Fiji’s Olympic title defence postponed for a year

SUVA, 26 MARCH 2020 (RUGBY PASS) – Fiji will have to wait an extra year to defend their Olympic Sevens title after Tokyo Games officials decided to postpone the event until summer 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Fijians charged to glory in the Rio heat when the 2016 Olympics were held in Brazil,...

COVID-19: Kaiviti Silktails pay players’ allowance

The Kaiviti Silktails players have been paid out their allowances until the end of this month. The Silktails disbanded its training camp in Lautoka after the Government implemented a lockdown in the Sugar City in response to the confirmed cases of COVID-19 last week. The Silktails had set up its centre of excellence along Tui...

Fiji 7s team players in isolation, wait for decision

THE Fiji 7s team will continue to have their individual training sessions in isolation until the Fiji Rugby Union confirms the cancellation of the Japan Olympic Games. Despite the outbreak of COVID-19 hindering all large gatherings, events and international sports events, the Fiji 7s players in the World Rugby Sevens Series will continue to train...

Kaiviti Silktails disband team

THE Kaiviti Silktails have disbanded its camp in Lautoka following the government’s decision to lockdown the Sugar City in response to the two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. The Silktails had set up its centre of excellence along Tui St near Marine Drive as its base for the 2020 Ron Massey Cup (RMC)...

Serevi invites Fijiana 7s

SEVENS wizard Waisale Serevi has extended an open invitation to the Fijiana 7s team to for a possible two-match exhibition match in Russia in the hopes of expanding the 7s code for both countries. With the positive progress currently made with our Fijiana 7s team, the head of the Russia 7s program believes it would...

Fijians all safe in France

THE French Fijians Association chairman and former national rugby player Fero Lasagavibau says all Fijian rugby players based in France are safe from the Covid-19 outbreak that is affecting the world. The association has always catered and hosted the Fiji 7s team when they participate in the Paris 7s tournament in the past years but...

IOC member Dick Pound says Tokyo 2020 Games will be postponed

TORONTO/TOKYO (Reuters) – The International Olympic Committee has decided to postpone the Tokyo 2020 Summer Games because of the coronavirus pandemic, IOC member Dick Pound told USA Today. Major sporting nations Australia and Canada had already withdrawn on Monday as organizers came under global pressure to postpone the event for the first time in the...

IOC to start discussions on possible Tokyo 2020 postponement

ATHENS (Reuters) – The International Olympic Committee is stepping up its “scenario planning” for the Tokyo 2020 Games — including a possible postponement — as the coronavirus pandemic spreads, it said after an emergency meeting on Sunday. The IOC will hold discussions that will include an option of putting back the July 24 start date...

Fiji 7s forward Vakurunabili weds sweetheart

ROBUST Fiji 7s forward Ratu Josua Vakurinabili scored the try of his life when he tied the knot with his sweetheart Sereima Taiti at the Reverend Esala Seru Church at Vatukarasa Village in Sigatoka yesterday. The wedding was attended by close family members. Taiti hails from Nadrala, Nadroga with material links to Kadavu. Fiji 7s...

Eels sink injury-hit Titans with second-half blitz

SYDNEY, 23 MARCH 2020 (NRL) – Parramatta flexed their premiership muscle with a thumping 46-6 victory over Gold Coast on Sunday night, but the win may come at a cost with hooker Reed Mahoney suffering an ankle injury. Eels halves Mitchell Moses and Dylan Brown (two) provided the razzle dazzle with impressive tries, but the...

COVID-19: Kaiviti Silktails close camp

The Kaiviti Silktails has closed its camp in Lautoka following the Government’s decision to lock down the Sugar City in response to the two confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the country. Fiji National Rugby League acting CEO Don Natabe said the facility had been closed down for the time being in the wake of the...

FRU stands by decision of world body

The Fiji 7s side plans to rectify its performance on the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series has crashed after World Rugby announced it had postponed all sevens tournaments for the season. The Gareth Baber-coached side sits in third place on the series standing with 83 points behind leaders New Zealand (115) and South Africa (103)....

Serevi: Talks positive to secure rugby pathway for Fijians in Russia

Fiji sevens maestro Waisale Serevi said talks have been positive as he now works to secure a pathway involving more than just rugby for Fijians in Russia. “We have had talks with the Ministry of Youth and Sports to try and help youths of Fiji, sports and education in any way,” Serevi said. He said...

Michael Fatialofa now walking unaided

Injured New Zealand rugby player Michael Fatialofa provided a bit of good news amid the coronavirus gloom when a video showed the lock walking unaided 11 weeks after he suffered a serious neck injury in an English Premiership game. New Zealand-born Fatialofa was shown walking in a video posted by his wife Tatiana on Instagram....

Canberra too strong for Warriors

The Canberra Raiders didn’t give any charity to the Warriors as they scored a 20-6 win in their National Rugby League game on the Gold Coast. Just days after committing to playing their games in Australia, the Warriors were unable to fire on attack as the green machine scored four tries to one. Canberra led...

Rugby

Minimbi sets his rugby dream