Vodafone Fijiana XV head coach Mosese Rauluni expressed disappointment after their 17-45 defeat to Manusina Samoa. Following this loss, the Fijiana team has dropped to third place in the rankings with five points, while Samoa has climbed to second with seven points.
This victory was essential for Samoa as they are vying for qualification for the Women’s Rugby World Cup next year, particularly after Fiji had previously defeated them 27-13 in the Oceania Rugby Women’s Championship in June.
In his post-match remarks, Rauluni noted that his team was outperformed throughout the match. This defeat is their first in the tournament, following a strong 38-3 win against Hong Kong China last month.
Rauluni highlighted that despite effective training in the week leading up to the match, the team’s performance did not reflect that effort. He pointed out their inability to make the most of scoring opportunities, along with several costly mistakes.
Despite efforts to turn things around in the second half, Fiji struggled to keep pace as Samoa extended their lead, aided by Cassie Siataga’s skilled kicking.
“We will need to analyze our errors and focus on areas that require improvement,” Rauluni stated. He acknowledged that poor game management has been a recurring issue, referencing previous matches against Scotland and the Netherlands.
“The number of mistakes made yesterday was unacceptable. We cannot afford to keep making the same errors in a high-intensity match,” he added.
The Fijiana team now has a week to prepare for their next match against table leaders Spain in WXV 3. Rauluni recognized Spain as a formidable opponent and emphasized the need to get back on track to secure a victory.
Fijiana fullback Luisa Tisolo scored two tries, with captain Karalaini Naisewa contributing another; Tisolo managed to convert Naisewa’s try. Samoa, on the other hand, scored six tries, three of which were converted, alongside three penalty kicks.
In their previous outings, Vodafone Fijiana XV secured a win against Hong Kong China, while Samoa drew with the Netherlands 8-8. The Fijiana team is set to compete in two Test matches against Scotland in England next month.