The Fiji Airways men’s rugby sevens team has achieved a notable milestone by leading the HSBC SVNS points table following the completion of the Cape Town Sevens in South Africa. Despite finishing in third place at the tournament, the Fijians accumulated 36 points, surpassing Spain, which holds 32 points, with South Africa and France closely trailing at 30 points each.
In their journey through the tournament, Fiji faced France in the semi-finals but narrowly lost by a score of 17-19. However, they regrouped and delivered a spectacular performance against Spain, winning decisively with a score of 47-10. Head coach Osea Kolinisau expressed disappointment over the semi-final loss, emphasizing the importance of capitalizing on scoring opportunities and reinforcing their defensive strategies.
The tournament saw standout performances, particularly from Naduvalu, who scored three tries, while Ilikimi Torosi, Kavekini Tanivanuakula, and George Bose each contributed with two tries. South Africa ultimately claimed victory in the Cape Town Sevens, triumphing over France with a score of 26-14 in the final.
Looking ahead, the next event in the series is the Perth Sevens, scheduled to take place from January 24-26.
In a related note, the Fijiana women’s rugby team improved their position by finishing 10th after a close 14-12 defeat to China in the ninth place playoff. The Timoci Volavola-coached team achieved their first victory in the series by defeating Brazil 22-19. Currently, the Fijiana 7s team is positioned 11th on the series points table, just ahead of Spain in 12th place.
This season is shaping up to be an exciting one for Fijian rugby, with both teams showing resilience and determination as they continue to compete on the world stage. Their performances signal a promising future in the upcoming tournaments.
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