The Vodafone Fijiana XV team is in search of a new coach as the countdown begins to the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, scheduled for August 22 to September 27 next year. This comes after head coach Mosese Rauluni resigned last Wednesday, with his contract concluding following their last match in the WXV 3 tournament against Spain, which ended in a narrow loss of 8-10 for Fiji. Fijiana wrapped up the tournament in fourth place.
Former head coach Inoke Male has yet to decide whether he will apply for the position once it is advertised, while Senirusi Seruvakula has stated he will not be applying. Male mentioned, “I will decide when the time comes” in response to inquiries about his potential candidacy. He also offered insights into the Fijiana’s performance, indicating there are some misunderstandings between players and management that only the players can address.
Male praised Australian-born Qarani Gau for his contributions to both the Drua and the Fijiana teams. While Male had previously signed a three-year contract last year to lead the national women’s team into the World Cup, he was advised to re-apply for his position after just ten months and chose not to pursue it.
Rauluni served as head coach for nine months before stepping down, citing that the team’s performance did not meet the high standards he had established. He opted to return to Australia to be closer to his family. During his tenure, Fijiana successfully qualified for the Rugby World Cup 2025 after winning the 2024 Oceania Championship and led the Fijian Drua women’s team to their third straight final, although they were unable to retain their Super W title.
In the WXV 3 tournament, the Karalaini Naisewa-captained team achieved only one victory as their season concluded. The match against Spain was fiercely competitive, with both sides eager for a crucial win. Fiji got on the scoreboard first in the 20th minute when fullback Luisa Tisolo scored a penalty, putting them ahead 3-0. However, Spain quickly capitalized on Fijiana’s discipline issues, scoring a converted try after player Aviame Veidreyaki received a yellow card.
Spain extended their lead to 10-3 with a penalty kick in the 76th minute. Fijiana’s robust centre Adita Milinia scored an unconverted try at full-time, bringing the score to 10-8. Tisolo had a chance to equalize with a conversion that could have also handed Samoa the title but missed the attempt, leading to triumph for the red team.
Samoa secured their spot in the World Cup for the first time since 2014 after defeating Madagascar 46-15. Meanwhile, the Netherlands concluded their tournament on a high note, achieving a bonus-point victory of 33-3 against Hong Kong China, finishing above their opponents in third place.