The Vodafone Fijiana XV faced a narrow defeat against Spain, losing 8-10 in an intense match at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai yesterday. The game began with Fijiana fullback Luisa Tisolo scoring a penalty kick that put the team ahead 3-0.
In a dramatic turn, Adita Milinia scored a last-minute try that leveled the score, but Tisolo’s conversion attempt missed, granting Spain the victory. This match marked the end of the Fijiana’s WXV3 series campaign, which included a 38-3 win over Hong Kong China last month and a 17-45 defeat to Samoa the previous week.
Despite the loss, the Fijiana could have claimed the WXV3 series title if not for Samoa’s substantial 46-15 victory over Madagascar, which also secured Samoa’s place in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup in England.
The game was particularly significant as it was head coach Mosese Rauluni’s last match with the team, and the players were eager to gift him a win. The narrow defeat highlighted their strong performance, despite the two-point margin.
As they conclude their WXV3 journey, the Fijiana had previously qualified for the World Cup by defeating Samoa 27-13 in the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship final in June. Along with the Fijiana, Samoa and Spain will also advance to the World Cup next August.