The Vodafone Fijiana XV rugby team is currently without a head coach just 11 months ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup scheduled to be held in England from August 22 to September 27 next year. This comes after the resignation of head coach Mosese Rauluni, whose contract with the Fiji Rugby Union ended following the team’s recent WXV 3 match against Spain, where Fiji lost narrowly with a score of 8-10.
In the WXV 3 tournament, Fijiana finished in fourth place. Former head coach Inoke Male has not yet decided whether he will apply for the vacant position, while Senirusi Seruvakula has announced that he will not pursue the role.
Male remarked, “I will decide when the time comes.” He expressed his views on the team’s performance, noting some misunderstandings between players and management, stating that “only the girls need to answer those questions.” He also recognized the contributions of Australian-born player Qarani Gau to both the Fijiana and the Drua teams.
Male previously held the head coach position, having signed a three-year contract last year to lead the national women’s team in preparation for the World Cup. However, he was advised to reapply for the position after only ten months and made the decision not to pursue it further.
Rauluni served as head coach for nine months before his resignation, which followed disappointing results that did not meet the high-performance standards he had set. He has chosen to return to Australia to be closer to his family. During his time in charge, Fijiana qualified for the Rugby World Cup 2025 by winning the 2024 Oceania Championship. The team also reached the final of the Fijian Drua women’s team for the third consecutive time but was unable to maintain their Super W title.
In the WXV 3 tournament, captained by Karalaini Naisewa, Fijiana concluded the season with only one victory. The match against Spain was fiercely contested, with both teams fighting for a crucial win. Fiji initially took the lead in the 20th minute through a penalty kick by fullback Luisa Tisolo. However, shortly after, discipline issues led to a yellow card for Aviame Veidreyaki, allowing Spain to score a converted try.
In the 76th minute, Spain extended their lead with a penalty kick, bringing the score to 10-3. Adita Milinia scored an unconverted try for Fijiana at the end of the match, making it 10-8. Tisolo had a chance to draw the match with a conversion kick but missed, which allowed Samoa to claim the title and secure a spot in the World Cup, their first since 2014, after defeating Madagascar 46-15.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands wrapped up their debut tournament successfully, achieving a bonus-point victory over Hong Kong China with a score of 33-3, finishing above them in third place.