Fiji women's national rugby union team

For the men's team, see Fiji national rugby union team. For the women's sevens team, see Fiji women's national rugby sevens team. For the women's rugby league team, see Fiji women's national rugby league team.

The Fiji women's national rugby union team are a national sporting side of Fiji, representing them at rugby union. They played their first test against Samoa in 2006, and compete annually in the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship. In 2022, they created history when they scored the third-highest points in both Men's and Women's Rugby at the Oceania Championship when they trounced Papua New Guinea 152–0. They made their first Rugby World Cup appearance at the delayed tournament in New Zealand.

Fiji

Nickname	Fijiana
Union	Fiji Rugby Union
Head coach	Ioan Cunningham
Captain	Sereima Leweniqila
First colours Second colours
World Rugby ranking
Current	17 (as of 28 October 2024)
Highest	14 (2024)
Lowest	32 (2007)
First international
Fiji 15–27 Samoa  (Nukuʻalofa, Tonga; 14 April 2006)
Biggest win
Fiji 152–0 Papua New Guinea  (Papakura, New Zealand; 9 July 2022)
Biggest defeat
Fiji 19–84 England  (Auckland, New Zealand; 8 October 2022)
World Cup
Appearances	1 (2021)

Women's
World Rugby Rankings

• v
• t
• e

Top 20 rankings as of 24 February 2025^[1]

Rank	Change*	Team	Points
1		England	097.56
2		Canada	089.31
3		New Zealand	088.64
4		France	085.11
5		Australia	078.10
6		Ireland	078.03
7		Scotland	076.82
8		Italy	074.75
9		United States	074.20
10		Wales	072.58
11		Japan	066.41
12		South Africa	066.18
13		Spain	065.42
14		Samoa	060.56
15		Netherlands	060.20
16		Fiji	059.14
17		Hong Kong	056.20
18		Kazakhstan	055.23
19		Russia	055.10
20		Sweden	052.72
*Change from the previous week

History

Fiji played their first match in 1997 against a visiting United States XV's team. They played their first international test match against Samoa in the one-off Women's Pacific Tri-Nations in 2006.

Ten years after the Women's Pacific Tri-Nations, the Oceania Rugby Women's Championship was established. The first tournament was held in 2016 between Fiji and Papua New Guinea at the ANZ National Stadium in Suva.^[2] The tournament was also part of the 2017 Women's Rugby World Cup qualification process.^[2] Fiji beat Papua New Guinea 37–10 to win the inaugural Oceania Championship and progress to the next stage of qualifications.^[3]

Fiji met Hong Kong and Japan in a Repechage tournament, but lost both matches and did not qualify for the 2017 World Cup.^[4] In 2018, Fijiana won the second edition of the Oceania Championship and successfully defended their title after winning all their matches.^[5]

The 2019 Oceania Championship also served as a qualifier for the 2021 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. It was also the first time that the Oceania region was granted a spot at the World Cup. New Zealand and Australia had already qualified from the previous World Cup, Fijiana won the remaining spot and qualified for their first World Cup.^[6][7]

Fiji played two test matches against Australia and Japan in 2022 at Brisbane.^[8][9] It would be their first test match against the Wallaroos and only their second time to meet Japan.^[10] Fiji won the 2022 Oceania Rugby Championship in New Zealand.^[11][12][13] They created history when they scored the third-highest points in both Men's and Women's Rugby at the 2022 Oceania Championships as they trounced Papua New Guinea 152–0 in Papakura, New Zealand.^[14][15]

First World Cup

In 2022, Fijiana were overwhelmed in their first Rugby World Cup match by England who ran in 14 tries and recorded an 84–19 victory.^[16][17] They later achieved their first World Cup win when they defeated South Africa 21–17.^[18][19] Their win against the Springbok Women moved them up five places to their highest ranking of 16th from 21st.^[20][21] France kept Fiji scoreless in their last World Cup match with a score of 44–0.^[22][23]

Second World Cup

Fiji qualified for their second Rugby World Cup after winning the 2024 Oceania Rugby Women's Championship.^[24][25]

Records

Rugby World Cup

Rugby World Cup
Year	Round	GP	W	D	L	PF	PA
Fiji was not invited to any of the World Cups between 1991 and 2006
2010	Did not qualify
2014
2017
2021	Pool stage	3	1	0	2	40	149
2025	Qualified
2029	TBD
2033
Total	1/9	3	1	0	2	40	149
Champion   Runner-up   Third place   Fourth place * Tied placing † Best placing Home venue

Overall

See also: List of Fiji women's national rugby union team matches

(Full internationals only, updated to 20 May 2023)

Rugby: Fiji internationals from 2006

Opponent	First game	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Win %
Australia	2022	2	0	0	2	0%
Canada	2022	1	0	0	1	0%
England	2022	1	0	0	1	0%
France	2022	1	0	0	1	0%
Hong Kong	2016	2	0	0	2	0%
Japan	2016	2	0	0	2	0%
Papua New Guinea	2016	4	4	0	0	100%
Samoa	2006	7	4	0	3	57.14%
South Africa	2022	1	1	0	0	100%
Tonga	2006	4	4	0	0	100%
Summary	2006	25	13	0	12	52%

Players

Recent squad

Fijiana's 30-player squad for the 2024 WXV tournament in Dubai.^[26]

Player	Position	Date of birth (age)	Caps	Club/province
Bitila Tawake	Prop	(1999-04-02)2 April 1999 (aged 25)		Chiefs Manawa
Salanieta Nabuli	Prop	(2003-02-07)7 February 2003 (aged 21)		Fijian Drua
Loraini Senivutu	Forward	(2003-01-23)23 January 2003 (aged 21)	uncapped	Fijian Drua
Tiana Robanakadavu	Prop	(2005-07-17)17 July 2005 (aged 19)		Fijian Drua
Penina Turova	Forward		uncapped
Merevesi Ofakimalino	Forward	(1994-03-30)30 March 1994 (aged 30)		Fijian Drua
Unaisi Lalabalavu	Hooker	(2004-03-01)1 March 2004 (aged 20)		Fijian Drua
Anasimeci Korovata	Prop	(1996-08-01)1 August 1996 (aged 28)		Fijian Drua
Doreen Narokete	Lock	(2002-04-04)4 April 2002 (aged 22)		Queensland Reds
Nunia Daunimoala	Lock	(1999-06-30)30 June 1999 (aged 25)		Fijian Drua
Sulita Waisega	Back row	(2004-03-16)16 March 2004 (aged 20)		Fijian Drua
Karalaini Naisewa	Back row	(1994-07-23)23 July 1994 (aged 30)		Fijian Drua
Sereima Leweniqila	Forward	(1990-05-05)5 May 1990 (aged 34)		Fijian Drua
Mereoni Nakesa	Lock	(2003-02-17)17 February 2003 (aged 21)		Fijian Drua
Teresia Tinanivalu	Back row	(1995-03-26)26 March 1995 (aged 29)		Fijian Drua
Evivi Senikarivi	Scrum-half	(2000-06-12)12 June 2000 (aged 24)		Fijian Drua
Salanieta Kinita	Fly-half	(2001-09-14)14 September 2001 (aged 23)		Fijian Drua
Vani Arei	Centre	(1999-04-14)14 April 1999 (aged 25)		Fijian Drua
Wainikiti Vosadrau	Back
Adita Milinia	Wing			Fijian Drua
Adi Fulori Rotagavira	Back			Fijian Drua
Merewai Cumu	Centre	(1998-07-31)31 July 1998 (aged 26)		Fijian Drua
Rusila Nagasau	Back	(1987-08-04)4 August 1987 (aged 37)
Setaita Railumu	Scrum-half			Fijian Drua
Jennifer Goodsir Ravutia	Fly-half	(1995-05-12)12 May 1995 (aged 29)		Fijian Drua
Merewairita Neivosa	Centre			Fijian Drua
Atelaite Buna	Fullback	(2000-07-25)25 July 2000 (aged 24)		Fijian Drua
Luisa Tisolo	Fullback	(1991-09-20)20 September 1991 (aged 33)		Fijian Drua
Mary Kanace	Back		uncapped
Iva Sauira	Wing	(2001-08-30)30 August 2001 (aged 23)	uncapped	Fijian Drua

Award winners

The following Fiji players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2001:^[27]

World Rugby Women's 15s Breakthrough Player of the Year Year Nominees Winners 2022 Vitalina Naikore —

Coaches

Coach	Years	Refs
Seremaia Bai	2016	[28]
Senirusi Seruvakula	2020–2022	[29]
Inoke Male	2023	[30]
Mosese Rauluni	2024	[31]
Ioan Cunningham	2025–	[32]

See also

• Sports portal

• Fiji women's national rugby sevens team