The Vodafone Fijiana XV team is currently without a head coach as they prepare for the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England set to take place from August 22 to September 27 next year. This development follows the resignation of head coach Mosese Rauluni last Wednesday, with his contract with Fiji Rugby Union (FRU) officially ending yesterday after Fiji’s last WXV 3 match against Spain, which they narrowly lost by a score of 8-10.
Fijiana ended the WXV 3 tournament in fourth place. Former coach Inoke Male has not yet decided whether he will apply for the head coach position when it is advertised, while Senirusi Seruvakula has stated he will not apply. Male commented, “I will decide when the time comes,” and expressed that the players need to address any misunderstandings regarding team performance and management.
Male praised Australian-born Qarani Gau for his contributions to both the Drua and Fijiana teams. He had previously signed a three-year contract last year to lead the women’s national team through the upcoming World Cup but chose not to reapply for the position after only ten months. Rauluni, who held the coaching role for nine months, resigned due to the team’s performance not meeting the high standards he set, opting to return to Australia to be with his family.
Under Rauluni’s leadership, Fijiana successfully qualified for the Rugby World Cup 2025 after winning the 2024 Oceania Championship. He also guided the Fijian Drua women to their third consecutive final, although they were unable to defend their Super W title. The team, captained by Karalaini Naisewa, secured only one victory in the WXV 3 tournament, concluding the 2024 season on a challenging note.
In their match against Spain, Fiji drew first blood in the 20th minute with a penalty kick from fullback Luisa Tisolo, initially leading 3-0. However, a yellow card for Aviame Veidreyaki allowed Spain to score a converted try, taking the lead. Spain extended their advantage with a penalty kick in the 76th minute, bringing the score to 10-3. Adita Milinia scored an unconverted try for Fijiana at the end of the match, bringing the score to 10-8. Tisolo had a chance to draw the match with a conversion kick but missed, while Samoa celebrated winning the title.
Samoa secured a place in the World Cup after defeating Madagascar 46-15, ensuring at least a second-place finish, while the Netherlands concluded their first tournament with a solid 33-3 victory over Hong Kong China, finishing the competition in third place.