Fijiana’s Super W participation not finalised

Last year's Rugby World Cup only amplified calls for the Six Nations to expand its membership, after the likes of Portugal and Georgia produced strong performances in the competition. When coupled with Italy's infamous 36-game losing streak in the championship, which ran from 2015 until last March's stunning 22-21 victory over Wales, these demands…

Your rugby headlines for Friday, November 24th. Former England international Danny Cipriani has publicly ripped into The Sun newspaper following an article published on Friday. The former outside-half was recently announced on the line-up for the Christmas edition of Strictly Come Dancing, with the news coming shortly after the former Wasps man…

Every four years, the men's Rugby World Cup offers us a new darling. The underdog, whose bootstrap story captivates fans. This team of plucky upstarts are quickly adopted by many as their second favourite team. They will likely have played one outrageous pool match that produced an odds-defying result. However, their greatest success is in the way…

When Portugal wingers Rodrigo Marta and Raffaele Storti shot down the right touchline with only minutes to spare against Fiji, the former taking an inside pass from his teammate to set up a match-winning conversion for scrum-half Samuel Marques, Rugby World Cup 2023 had a second underdog story it had been craving. Os Lobos had already pushed both…

It happens like clockwork. Every four years the Rugby World Cup starts and at least once the expected script is torn into pieces. An elite nation falls to a shock defeat to their apparent lowly tier two opponents and the rugby world spins slightly off-kilter for a moment. It has just happened to Australia against Fiji in Saint-Etienne. Former…

Mick Byrne made his name as an innovator. After a playing career in Australian rules football, he pioneered the role of the rugby skills coach in England and Scotland, going on to work with the All Blacks for over a decade. In 2021, Byrne landed his first Super Rugby head coaching role when he was appointed to the job with the Fijian Drua in their…

Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui named his squad Tuesday for next month's Rugby World Cup, but warned his in-form side they would face a big test of their credentials in warm-up matches against France and England. The high-flying Fijians brushed aside Japan 35-12 in Tokyo at the weekend for a third straight Test victory, after seeing off Tonga and…

Suva (Fiji) (AFP) - Fiji head coach Simon Raiwalui named his squad Tuesday for next month's Rugby World Cup, but warned his in-form side they would face a big test of their credentials in warm-up matches against France and England. The high-flying Fijians brushed aside Japan 35-12 in Tokyo at the weekend for a third straight Test victory, after…

Tom Maher/INPHOFiji captain Waisea Nayacalevu in action against Ireland last autumn. # Underdogs Fiji, Georgia, Samoa, Tonga - the sides out to shock the World Cup Japan and Argentina will both be vying to get out of Pool D. THE TRADITIONAL POWERS can seem totally unwilling to open the doors to potential upstarts in international rugby. That…

Fijian Drua halfback Philip Baselala has been named in the Fiji Under-20 squad to take part in the World Rugby Championship to be held in South Africa later this month. Head Coach Ifereimi Rawaqa has named an exciting 30-member squad for the tournament. Rawaqa said it had not been an easy selection for him and the coaches. "We would like to thank…

Fijiana Drua put aside a season of adversity to retain the Super W title with a 38-30 victory over the Queensland Reds in the final of the sixth edition of the Australian elite women's competition in Townsville on Saturday. Their second success in their first two years in the competition came after off-field money issues that at one point left them…

Last year, the Fiijana Drua were a fairytale. It was a classic underdog sports story: an outsider comes in and against all odds, fights their way to the top for ultimate victory. This year their story isn't so straightforward, but it's equally inspiring. They have staged the most remarkable comeback in Super W history while in the background dealt…

Power and speed are the keys to Rugby World Cup success, says Eddie Jones, with a'run-first' approach to the game dead and buried. Australian rugby's golden age might have been built around an attack-first mentality, but the modern game demands an up-tempo style favouring quick ball and momentum. "The game's about being fast now," Jones said last…

SYDNEY, March 15 (Reuters) - Bitila Tawake was not even playing rugby four years ago but now she is a bona fide star back home as captain of a Fijiana Drua team that are tearing down barriers for women who want to play the Pacific island nation's favourite sport. Matching the test prop's meteoric rise in the game, the Drua won Australia's elite…

With a shock world cup final appearance, the debut appearance of two Pacific teams in Super Rugby, Commonwealth Games medals galore, and milestones in many sports, it's been a year to remember. If there was one defining moment then it was provided by Toa Samoa when they reached the final of the delayed Rugby League World Cup in November when the…

2022 has thrown up plenty of storylines in the world of Rugby. From last-minute finishes, controversy and world-class action, the past 12 months have thrown up plenty of exciting stories across the Rugby landscape. With this in mind, Rugby.com.au breaks down the best stories from 2022, starting from 12-7. 12. Crusaders remain on top The inaugural…

Ex-England back-rower Nathan Hughes has declared himself available to be called up to play at Test level by Fiji. World Rugby have recently altered the eligibility rules governing the international game, permitting players capped by tier-one nations to be able to represent their countries of origin provided there has been a three-year stand-down…

The Fijiana are determined to beat South Africa this Sunday, keeping their quarterfinal hopes alive in the Women's Rugby World Cup. Both teams lost their opening games in last Weekend's opener at Eden Park. The Fijiana were outclassed 84 - 14 while South Africa succumbed to a 40 - 5 loss to France. National pride is also on the line as the loser…

Imagine what a full-strength Moana Pasifika could accomplish Moana Pasifika have already defied expectations in their first year of Super Rugby Pacific but imagine for a moment what they might have been able to achieve this year if they had been given a fair introduction to the competition. Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua were first granted…

Super Rugby will return to UK television from this Friday following the announcement of a new broadcast deal between Sky Sports and Sanzaar, with the broadcaster also showing England's tour to Australia this summer. Ireland and Wales' tours of New Zealand and South Africa will also be shown by Sky, along with the Rugby Championship plus domestic…

There's a lot been shared about the treatment of our Rooster Chicken Fijiana Drua and Vodafone Fijiana 15s players. The delay in allowances payment are among other issues highlighted lately. However, the government has assured that more will done and one of them is rewarding our victorious Fijiana Drua Super W side financially. Minister for Youth…

Rooster Chicken Fijiana 15s forward, Sereima Leweniqila has had to overcome criticism throughout her rugby career. The Nabuono, Udu, Macuata native defied all odds and responded to her critics through the Fijiana Drua's Super W win yesterday. The 32-year-old who has maternal links to Namara, Kadavu is one of the pioneers of the Fijiana 15s…

The Flying Fijians (Fiji Rugby), have sent shockwaves through the world of rugby with their stunning 30-22 victory over England. The aftermath of the win is reverberating not only through the ranks of these two teams but also across the landscape of international rugby. It's sparking discussions about shifts in power dynamics and the rise of…

Once the relationship between Rugby Australia CEO Andy Marinos and chairman Hamish McLennan degenerated to communication only via e-mail, there was only ever going to be one outcome. The CEO's exit was confirmed last Monday, and with Marinos constrained by non-disclosure terms attached to his payout, the way was paved clear for McLennan to cement…