The Vodafone Fijiana XV team is currently without a coach as it prepares for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England, scheduled for August 22 to September 27 next year. This situation arose after head coach Mosese Rauluni resigned last Wednesday, with his contract concluding following Fiji’s last WXV 3 match against Spain, which resulted in a narrow 8-10 defeat. The Fijiana team finished in fourth place on the WXV 3 table.
Former head coach Inoke Male has not yet decided whether he will apply for the position when it becomes available, while Senirusi Seruvakula has confirmed he will not pursue it. Male stated, “I will decide when the time comes,” and expressed concerns regarding misunderstandings between players and management, emphasizing that the athletes should address these issues.
Male acknowledged the contributions of Australian-born Qarani Gau to both the Drua and the Fijiana sides. He previously signed a three-year contract but opted not to reapply for the national women’s team role after just 10 months.
Rauluni held his coaching position for nine months before stepping down, citing that the team’s recent performances did not meet the high standards he had set. He has chosen to return to Australia to be with his family. Under his leadership, Fijiana qualified for the 2025 Rugby World Cup after winning the 2024 Oceania Championship and led the Fijian Drua women to their third consecutive final, though they were unable to defend their Super W title.
In their final match of the 2024 season, the team, captained by Karalaini Naisewa, managed only one victory in the WXV 3 tournament. The match against Spain was fiercely contested, with both teams eager to secure a vital win. Fiji initially took the lead in the 20th minute with a penalty kick from fullback Luisa Tisolo, making it 3-0, but Spain quickly retaliated, capitalizing on Fijiana’s discipline issues to score a converted try while Fiji’s Aviame Veidreyaki was in the sin bin.
In the closing moments, Spain extended their lead with a penalty in the 76th minute, making it 10-3. Adita Milinia scored a late unconverted try for Fijiana just before the final whistle, narrowing the score to 10-8. Tisolo had a chance to equalize with a conversion kick but missed, allowing Samoa to celebrate their victory and secure a spot in the Women’s Rugby World Cup for the first time since 2014, following their win over Madagascar. Meanwhile, the Netherlands concluded their debut tournament positively, securing a bonus-point 33-3 victory against Hong Kong China.