The Vodafone Fijiana XVs are excitedly preparing for a historic series of international matches as they get ready for the upcoming WXV 3 tournament in Dubai later this year.
These important games will provide the team with essential playing experience and a prime opportunity to refine their strategies in anticipation of the 2025 Rugby World Cup. For the first time ever, Fiji will compete against Scotland Women on Sunday, September 15, with the match set to commence at 3:45 am (FJT) at the Hive Stadium.
Following this encounter, the team, coached by Mosese Rauluni, will embark on another groundbreaking milestone as they travel to the Netherlands for their inaugural match against the Orange Ladies. This eagerly awaited game is scheduled for Thursday, September 19, at the NRCA Stadium in Amsterdam.
Rauluni emphasized the importance of these two matches in the lead-up to the WXV3 tournament in Dubai. He stated, “The big focus is Scotland in the first game, but our main aim is to win WXV3, and it’s great to face a strong team like Scotland, who compete in the Women’s Six Nations, along with the Netherlands, an emerging rugby nation.”
“These test matches provide us with an opportunity to enter WXV3 well-prepared. We have added several Women’s High-Performance Unit players to our extended squad in preparation for these encounters. Scotland finished fourth in the Six Nations earlier this year and won WXV2 in 2023, so we look forward to testing ourselves against them. The Netherlands have qualified for WXV3 and are competing for a place in the Rugby World Cup, bringing a different style of rugby, which is crucial for our RWC 2025 preparations.”
The Vodafone Fijiana XV will face significant competition at WXV3, with matches against Hong Kong China, Samoa, and Spain. The WXV3 tournament is set to kick off on September 27.