The Vodafone Fijiana XV rugby team is currently without a head coach just 11 months before the Women’s Rugby World Cup, which will be held in England from August 22 to September 27 next year. This situation arose after head coach Mosese Rauluni resigned last Wednesday, with his contract with the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) officially ending yesterday, following Fiji’s narrow loss to Spain in their final WXV 3 match, which ended 8-10.
The Fijiana team finished in fourth place on the WXV 3 table. Former head coach Inoke Male has yet to decide whether he will apply for the coaching role when it is reposted, while Senirusi Seruvakula has stated he will not seek the position.
Male commented on the team’s performance, mentioning some misunderstandings between players and management, stating that the players themselves are best placed to answer questions concerning the issues. He also praised Australian-born Qarani, Gau, for his contributions to both the Drua and the Fijiana teams.
Male previously signed a three-year contract last year intending to lead the women’s national team to the upcoming World Cup. However, after only ten months in the role, he was advised to reapply for the position and chose not to pursue it further.
Rauluni, who held the coaching position for nine months, stepped down amid disappointing performances from the Fijiana that fell short of the high standards he had set. He opted to return to Australia to be with his family. During his time, Fijiana qualified for the Rugby World Cup 2025 after winning the 2024 Oceania Championship and reached the final of the Women’s Super W, although they were unable to defend their title.
In their final WXV 3 tournament match, the Karalaini Naisewa-captained side achieved only one win. It was an intensely competitive match with both teams eager for victory. Fijiana initially took the lead in the 20th minute when fullback Luisa Tisolo successfully kicked a penalty, making it 3-0. However, poor discipline allowed Spain to score a converted try following a yellow card issued to Aviame Veidreyaki.
In the 76th minute, Spain added to their lead with a penalty, making it 10-3. Fijiana’s Adita Milinia scored an unconverted try just as the match concluded, bringing the score to 10-8. Luisa Tisolo had one last opportunity to equalize with a conversion, but her kick went wide, allowing Spain to celebrate their victory.
Samoa secured their place in the upcoming World Cup after defeating Madagascar 46-15, marking their first appearance in the tournament since 2014. Meanwhile, the Netherlands ended their debut in the tournament on a high note, clinching a 33-3 bonus-point victory against Hong Kong China, moving them ahead into third place overall.