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Rugby union in Fiji
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Rugby union is a popular team sport that is played in Fiji. It is considered to be the national sport of the country. The sport was introduced in the 1880s. Fiji is defined as a tier two rugby nation by the International Rugby Board (IRB). The national team has competed at the Rugby World Cup and made it as far as the quarter finals. Their sevens team is also noted for their success, and are the current holders of the Rugby World Cup Sevens.
HistoryRugby union was first played by European and Fijian soldiers of the Native Constabulary at Ba, on Viti Levu, playing the game there in the 1880s. By the early 1890s, the sport had started to draw attention from media outlets, such as newspaper and other print, and the game started to establish itself as a sport in the country. At this time, a lot of the regular players were expatriates, however, by 1904, a domestic club competition had been organised. The first regular club, Pacific, was formed in 1913 by New Zealander PJ Sheehan, a tradesman. The idea to form a rugby club came about from Sheehan and his co-workers, most who were New Zealand or Australian expatriates, and had no organised sporting club or competition. The club was founded with around 40 members.
These matches became popular with the locals, as well as the European population in Fiji. Sheehan was approached by a European to consider the formation of a governing body. Thus, the Fiji Rugby Football Union was soon formed. The Cadets club and the United Services club were also established in this period. Sir Ernest Bickham Sweet-Escott, the governor of the colony at the time, donated the Escott Shield, with the purpose for competitive club competition. The first championship was won by the Pacific club. During this period, Sheehan arranged for the All Blacks to stop in Fiji on their way home from a tour of California in the United States. A match was organised between the All Blacks and a Fijian representative side. The All Blacks won 67 to 3, with Sheehan, the captain-coach getting the only points for the Fijian representative side.
The Fijian team was made up of Europeans, as were most of the clubs at this point, though by now the locals had taken an enthusiastic interest in the game. Several Fijian locals approached Sheehan and asked him to teach the sport to the locals. Sheehan subsequently organised a match between two sides, all made up of local players. The game was played on a rainy afternoon, that, along with different interpretations of the rules, made the game difficult. By the following year, locals had formulated their own competition, and the clubs Taipou, Tarirere, Hill and Ofisa had been established. Local businessman J Davies presented the Davies Cup for competition in 1915, which was first won by Tarirere. A governing body for the competition was established through the main Rugby union.
On 18 August, 1924, the national team played their first ever test, playing Western Samoa. The match was played in Samoa at 7 in the morning, so the Fijians could later continue onto Tonga that same day, as well, so the Samoans could work after the game. Fiji won the match 6 to nil, and continued on to a nine match tour of Tonga. The team actually wore black jerseys, as opposed to their now-traditional white ones. Spectators at their first game praised the visiting Fijians for their speed and agility.
In 1926, two overseas sides visited Fiji, being the Auckland University College and the national team of Tonga. This became the first time that the national side of Fiji would wear their now traditional white jerseys and black shorts. Two years later, a domestic schools competition was started. It was in 1939 that Fiji Schools Union was established to govern school rugby. Also that year, Fiji embarked on a tour of New Zealand. The team became famous for becoming the first side to leave New Zealand without losing a match - winning seven and drawing one of their eight fixtures. The Fijians impressed the New Zealand crowds with their unpredictable and free-flowing style of rugby. After their final match against the New Zealand Maori, a newspaper wrote that "Fiji is destined to play a big part in world rugby".
Fiji toured New Zealand again in 1951, and were successful with most of their fixtures, winning eight of their games, losing five and drawing twice. The following year, Fiji went on a tour of Australia, and held the Wallabies to a one-a-piece drawn two-test series. The tour was notable for its record crowds in Australia. Fiji returned two years later, achieving the same test series result, and breaking further crowd records. In 1963 the Fiji Rugby Football Union became the Fiji Rugby Union (FRU).
In 1964, Fiji toured Europe for the first time. Their first match in Europe was against France in Paris, where they lost 21 to 3. They went on to play another five matches against various French teams. They then played a test against Wales XV at Cardiff Arms Park, where they lost only 28 to 22. Fiji then continued on to play another three Welsh sides. The Hong Kong Sevens tournament for rugby sevens was introduced in 1976 and the Fiji sevens team won the title in its second year of competition, in 1977. Fiji went on to win in 1978 and again in 1980 as well as the 1984 tournament. Fiji won the tournament another five times during the 1990s making themselves one of the most dominant sevens sides in the world.
From 1982 through to 1984, Fiji completed a 15 match winning streak. The national side were invited by the International Rugby Football Board to participate in the inaugural Rugby World Cup in 1987 that was to be hosted by Australia and New Zealand. In their first World Cup match, Fiji defeated Argentina 28 to 9 in Hamilton. They were subsequently defeated by the All Blacks, 74 to 13, but went on to defeat Italy 18 to 15, which saw them go through to the finals. They met France in the quarter finals, where they lost 31 to 16.
Fiji participated at the 1991 Rugby World Cup held in the United Kingdom and France. They lost all three of their pool games and thus did not make it to the finals. They did not qualify for the subsequent 1995 Rugby World Cup in South Africa. However, the Fiji sevens team won the Rugby World Cup Sevens three years later. Fiji qualified for the 1999 Rugby World Cup in Wales and were grouped in pool C. After strong pool victories over Namibia and Canada, they lost their last game against France. Their pool wins saw them finish second in their pool behind France, and move through to the finals. They lost to England at Twickenham, 45 to 24. Political unrest in Fiji during 2000 forced the FRU to accept the cost of hosting international meets in Samoa, instead of Fiji.
Fiji qualified for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia and were grouped in pool B. They lost their opening match to France 61 to 18, won a subsequent close game over the United States 19 to 18, defeated Japan but lost their last pool game to Scotland by two points. They finished third in their pool, which did not take them to the finals.
Governing bodyFiji Rugby Union (FRU) is the governing body for the sport. It is divided into over 30 provincial unions. The Fiji Rugby Union is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) along with Samoa and Tonga. The FRU was originally established as the Fiji Rugby Football Union, with the change in title coming about in 1963. The FRFU was formed in 1913 as the sport begun to grow. Fiji were awarded 'second tier' status by the International Rugby Board.
CompetitionColonial CupThe Colonial Cup was introduced by the Fiji Rugby Union to identify and prepare local players for the international stage. The national side and 'A' team were selected from Colonial Cup players, as well as including overseas players. In 2007 a new team entered the competition leading to six teams in the competition.
Pacific Rugby CupThe IRB Pacific Rugby Cup started in 2006 and involves representative teams from the three Pacific rugby unions, Fiji along with Samoa and Tonga. Fiji has two sides in the tournament, the Fiji Warriors and the Fiji Barbarians. The aim of the tournamen is to improve the quality of rugby in the Pacific Islands.
Representative teamsNationalFiji have competed at four World Cups since the tournament was first helf in 1987. They made the quarter-finals in 1987 and in 1999. Fiji also compete in the Pacific Tri-Nations alongside Samoa and Tonga. Fiji also participate in the IRB Pacific 5 Nations, again with Samoa and Tonga, as well as Japan and the Junior All Blacks. Fiji perform the cibi as part of their pre-match traditional. The Fiji kit is made up of white jerseys with black shorts. Fiji also participate in the Pacific Tri-Nations series between Tonga, Fiji and Samoa which has been played since 1982. The Pacific Nations Cup is a competition which involves Fiji, Samoa, Tonga as ell as the Junior All Blacks and the Japan and Australia A.
National (sevens)Fiji are one of the most successful sevens nations. They won the Hong Kong Sevens tournament in 1977, and have since won it another eight times. They are also the only side to have won the Rugby World Cup Sevens on two occasions; in 1997 (defeating England in the final) and in 2005 (defeating New Zealand in the final). The World Sevens Series was introduced in 2000, and New Zealand won the first six series in a row. However, at the 2006 event, Fiji put an end to their winning streak, becoming the 2006 World Sevens Series champions.
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