The Vodafone Fijiana XV rugby team delivered an impressive performance against Hong Kong China, winning 38-3 in their opening match of the WXV3 tournament. The match took place yesterday morning (Fiji time) and sets the stage for their upcoming clash with Samoa on October 12 in Dubai.
Head coach Mosese Rauluni acknowledged that the team started off sluggishly, allowing opponents to gain possession and earn penalties in the first half. “We capitalised a little more in the second half, but there were still small mistakes that put pressure on us,” he noted.
Rauluni was pleased with the win, especially after experiencing back-to-back Test match losses to Scotland (15-59) and the Netherlands (10-12). He expressed that the victory boosted the players’ confidence ahead of their challenging game against Samoa.
“We will need to execute well in set-pieces against Samoa; our physicality in ball carries and defense must improve,” he emphasized.
Captain Karalaini Naisewa, who scored twice, also reflected positively on their performance. “The weather conditions in Dubai are similar to those at home, and we’ll aim to fix our errors next week,” she said. Naisewa acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming match against Samoa, expressing the team’s intention to come out strong.
To secure their next win, Naisewa mentioned the importance of enhancing their fitness levels.
Fiji’s scoring began with prop Anasimeci Korovata powering through the Hong Kong China defense for the first try, putting them ahead 5-0, although Luisa Tisolo missed the conversion. Kolora Lomani, known for his sevens speed, scored the second try following a well-coordinated play, giving Fiji a 10-0 lead, with Tisolo missing another conversion.
Hong Kong China’s fly half Fung Hoi Ching converted a penalty to narrow the gap to 10-3 before Naisewa scored from a maul, with Tisolo successfully converting to extend their lead to 17-3. Winger Repeka Tove added another try in the corner, and Tisolo’s conversion made it 24-3.
Flanker Sulita Waisega scored the fifth try for Fiji, with Tisolo converting to push the score to 31-3. Naisewa then clinched her second try from another maul, and Tisolo capped the scoring with another successful kick, concluding the match at 38-3.
In another highlight, the national under-18 schoolboys’ team defeated Australia 26-14 in their first match at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka last Saturday. Their next match is scheduled for 3 PM tomorrow.