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Fiji national rugby union team (sevens)
Encyclopedia
Rugby sevens
Rugby sevens, also known as seven-a-side or VIIs, is a variant of rugby union in which teams are made up of seven players, instead of the usual 15, with shorter matches. Rugby sevens is administered by the International Rugby Board , the body responsible for rugby union worldwide...
teams in the world and has won the Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
a record nine times since its inception in 1976. Fiji has also won the Sevens World Cup
Rugby World Cup Sevens
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
twice, winning that event in 1997 and 2005 (coincidentally, the two times it has been held in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
). The Fiji
Fiji
Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...
national rugby union sevens team compete in the World Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens
Rugby World Cup Sevens
The Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
.
In 1989, veteran rugby commentator Bill McLaren
Bill McLaren
William Pollock "Bill" McLaren CBE was a Scottish rugby union commentator, teacher, journalist and one time rugby player. Until his retirement in 2002, he was known as 'the voice of rugby'...
mentions them in an article on the Hong Kong Sevens
Hong Kong Sevens
The Hong Kong Sevens is considered the premier tournament on the IRB Sevens World Series in rugby sevens—a variant of rugby union....
, saying that their team had no less than three players surnamed Raulini - the brothers Viliami, Meli and Vesi - which caused him great consternation, as he had trouble remembering them correctly.
The International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
(IRB) expanded the sevens rugby competition to become a series of 11 tournaments around the world. The debt the FRU incurred from the 2000 sevens series were horrific. At the end of December 2000, the FRU was burdened with accumulated losses of F$933,306. Fiji appealed to the IRB
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
for funding arguing that the sevens tournament was built around Fiji and they would not be able to participate without such funding. From that appeal flowed participation funds that enabled the islands teams to play in the World Sevens Series fully funded. By the end of November 2001, the FRU was sitting on a surplus of F$560,311 compared with the previous year's net loss of F$675,609.
Honours
These statistics are sourced from Fiji 7s Fansite:- 1997 Rugby World Cup SevensRugby World Cup SevensThe Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
Champions - 1998 Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
Silver Medal - 2002 Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
Silver Medal - 2006 Commonwealth GamesCommonwealth GamesThe Commonwealth Games is an international, multi-sport event involving athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930 and takes place every four years....
Bronze - 2001 World GamesWorld GamesThe World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games...
Gold - 2005 World GamesWorld GamesThe World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games...
Gold - 2009 World GamesWorld GamesThe World Games, first held in 1981, are an international multi-sport event, meant for sports, or disciplines or events within a sport, that are not contested in the Olympic Games...
Gold - 1995,1999,2003,2007 Pacific Games Gold
- 2005 Rugby World Cup SevensRugby World Cup SevensThe Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...
Champions - 2005/2006 IRB World Seven Series Winners
- 2005 Darwin 7s (Hottest 7s in Australia) Winner
- 2006 Darwin 7s (Hottest 7s in Australia) Winner
- 2007 Darwin 7s (Hottest 7s in Australia) Winner
- 2008 Darwin 7s (Hottest 7s in Australia) Winner
Hong Kong 7s
- 1977
- 1978
- 1980
- 1981
- 1984
- 1990
- 1991
- 1992
- 1997 (also the Rugby 7s World Cup)
- 1998
- 1999
- 2005 (also the Rugby 7's World Cup)
- 2009
Current Squad
12 Men squad to 2011–12 IRB Sevens World Series2011–12 IRB Sevens World Series
The 2011–12 IRB Sevens World Series, known for sponsorship reasons as the HSBC Sevens World Series, will be the 13th annual series of rugby union sevens tournaments for full national sides run by the International Rugby Board since 1999–2000....
- Australia Leg
2011 Gold Coast Sevens
The 2011 Gold Coast Sevens was the first edition of the tournament which was known as the Adelaide Sevens the last years. It was held at Robina, Australia, the host stadium was the Robina Stadium....
- Jimilai Naikadawa
- Setefano CakauSetefano CakauSetefano Cakau is a Fiji Rugby union player. He plays for Prisons club in the BP Oil sevens series competition which is one of the biggest sporting events in Fiji, similar to the IRB Sevens World Series, and has also been included in the Fiji Sevens team.In the Fifteens version of the game, he...
- Senivalati Vunibola
- Emosi VucagoEmosi VucagoRatu Emosi Vucago is a Fiji Rugby union player. He plays as a half-back in the Fifteens man-code and also as a halfback/fly-half in the Sevens code He has also been part Fiji Sevens team since the Wellington leg in 2007...
- Mitieli Nacagilevu
- Osea Kolinisau
- Joeli Lutumailagi
- Watisoni Votu
- Livai Ikanikoda
- Semi Radradra
- Sitiveni Waqa
- James Brown
Former Notable Players
- Manasa Bari
- Rupeni CaucauRupeni Caucaunibuca-Early years:Caucaunibuca or "Rups", as called by those who knew him, grew up most of his life in the village. Caucaunibuca's father was a church minister based around the Bua province on the northern parts of Fiji so his family frequently moved....
- Temesia Kaumaia
- Norman LigairiNorman LigairiNorman Armstrong Senibici Ligairi is a Fijian rugby union player who usually plays as a fullback. He represents Fiji at international level in both the 15-a-side and 7-a-side game...
- Timoci Matanavou
- Lepani NabuliwaqaLepani NabuliwaqaLepani Nabuliwaqa , nicknamed Leps, is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing.-Career:Nabuliwaqa was an influential member of the Red Rock sevens team which participated in Fiji domestic sevens competition in 2003-04 season. He made his debut for the Fiji sevens team when he replaced...
- Seru RabeniSeru RabeniRatu Seru Raveive Rabeni is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a centre or wing for Stade Rochelais....
- Kameli RatuvouKameli Ratuvou-Career:He is currently playing for professional English club, Saracens he joined the squad from Fiji for the 2006/07 season. His usual position is on the wing even though he can also play at centre and fullback...
- Ifereimi RawaqaIfereimi RawaqaIfereimi Rawaqa is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a lock or flanker.-Career:In 2002, when he was still 21 when he made his test debut in the victory over Samoa, in Apia...
- Nasoni RokoNasoni RokoNasoni Rokobiau, born 29 November 1979, in Vunidawa, Fiji is a rugby union player. Rokobiau has represented Fiji in their Rugby Sevens team, as well as Fiji 'A' in the 15 man form of the game. He has played Sevens for Fiji since 2002, representing his country in many International Rugby Board...
- William Ryder
- Viliame SatalaViliame SatalaViliame Satala born 19 July 1972 in Lautoka Fiji is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a centre or wing. His nickname is "The Stretcher" for his ability to flatten opposition players....
- Waisale SereviWaisale SereviWaisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi is a former Fijian rugby union footballer, and coach. Although he played fifteen-a-side rugby throughout his playing career, Serevi is most notable for his achievements in rugby sevens....
- Jope Tuikabe
- Emosi VucagoEmosi VucagoRatu Emosi Vucago is a Fiji Rugby union player. He plays as a half-back in the Fifteens man-code and also as a halfback/fly-half in the Sevens code He has also been part Fiji Sevens team since the Wellington leg in 2007...
- Marika VunibakaMarika VunibakaMarika "Dawainavesi" Vunibaka is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He has represented the national team on numerous occasions, including at the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales and the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia....
See also
- Fiji Rugby UnionFiji Rugby UnionFiji Rugby Union is the governing body for the sport of rugby union in Fiji. It is divided into over 30 provincial unions. The Fiji Rugby Union is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance , along with Samoa and Tonga. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population...
- Fiji national rugby union teamFiji national rugby union teamThe Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26...
- Rugby World Cup SevensRugby World Cup SevensThe Rugby World Cup Sevens is the premier international Rugby sevens competition. The event is organised by the sport's governing body, the International Rugby Board , and is contested by the men's national sevens teams every four years. The inaugural tournament was held in 1993 in Scotland, the...