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Fijiana XV Faces Coach Dilemma Ahead of World Cup

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The Vodafone Fijiana XV team is currently without a head coach as they prepare for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, scheduled from August 22 to September 27 next year. This situation arises following the resignation of head coach Mosese Rauluni last Wednesday, as his contract with the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) concluded after their recent WXV 3 match against Spain, which ended in a narrow loss of 8-10.

Fijiana finished fourth in the WXV 3 standings. Former head coach Inoke Male has yet to decide whether he will apply for the position once it is officially advertised, while Senirusi Seruvakula has stated he will not be submitting an application. Male commented, “I will decide when the time comes,” when asked for his thoughts on the team’s recent performance, mentioning misunderstandings between players and management that need to be addressed by the players themselves.

Male recognized the contributions of Australian-born Qarani Gau to both the Drua and Fijiana teams. Having signed a three-year contract last year to lead the women’s national team into the World Cup next year, Male chose not to re-apply for his position, which he was encouraged to do after only ten months.

Rauluni’s tenure lasted nine months before his resignation, influenced by the team’s performance not meeting his standards. He decided to return to Australia to be with his family. During his time as head coach, Fijiana qualified for the 2025 Rugby World Cup by winning the 2024 Oceania Championship and led the Fijian Drua women’s team to their third consecutive final, although they could not retain their Super W title.

In the recent WXV 3 tournament, the Fijiana team managed only one victory to close their 2024 season. Their last match against Spain was intensely competitive, with both sides eager for a win. Fiji initially took the lead in the 20th minute when fullback Luisa Tisolo successfully kicked a penalty to make it 3-0. However, the lead didn’t last as discipline issues for Fijiana allowed Spain to score a converted try after player Aviame Veidreyaki was shown a yellow card.

In the 76th minute, Spain extended their lead to 10-3 with another penalty. At full time, robust center Adita Milinia scored an unconverted try, narrowing the gap to 10-8. Tisolo had a chance to level the match but missed her conversion attempt, which would have drawn the game and given Samoa the title, amid celebrations from the Spanish team.

Samoa secured a place at the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, marking their first appearance since 2014 after defeating Madagascar 46-15. Meanwhile, the Netherlands concluded their debut tournament with a strong 33-3 victory over Hong Kong China, allowing them to finish third in the standings.

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