Vodafone Fijiana XV head coach Mosese Rauluni expressed disappointment after his team suffered a significant 17-45 loss to Manusina Samoa. This defeat has seen Fiji drop to third place in the standings, now holding five points, while Samoa has climbed to second with seven points.
The match was pivotal for Samoa as they aim for qualification for the upcoming Women’s Rugby World Cup, especially after losing to Fiji earlier this year in the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship. In a post-match interview, Rauluni acknowledged that his team was outperformed throughout the match, despite having trained well in the lead-up.
He pointed out the team’s inability to capitalize on scoring opportunities and highlighted a series of costly mistakes. Despite an effort to turn the tide in the second half, Fiji found it challenging to catch up as Samoa extended their lead, primarily through the kicking of Cassie Siataga.
Rauluni emphasized the need to analyze their performance and address multiple issues, particularly their poor game management. He noted that similar problems had surfaced in previous matches against Scotland and Netherlands.
“We had too many errors,” Rauluni said. “It’s vital we don’t keep repeating these mistakes in a fast-paced game.”
The team has a week to regroup before facing league leaders Spain in their next WXV 3 match on Sunday. Rauluni acknowledged the challenge ahead, stating, “Spain is a strong team, and we recognize the difficulty of the task.”
In the match against Samoa, fullback Luisa Tisolo scored two tries, while captain Karalaini Naisewa contributed one try, with Tisolo successfully converting Naisewa’s. Samoa managed to score six tries, with three conversions and three penalties.
Previously, Fijiana secured a convincing 38-3 victory against Hong Kong China, while Samoa played to an 8-all draw with the Netherlands. The Fijiana XV team is also scheduled for two Test matches against Scotland in England in November.