Fiji national rugby sevens team

History

The International Rugby Board (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 was significant. At the end of December 2000, the FRU was burdened with accumulated losses of F$933,306. Fiji appealed to the IRB 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.

The FRU again ran out of money in 2013 to support the national sevens team. The IRB had temporarily suspended funding due to concerns with FRU financial management and governance. The head coach went unpaid for months, another staff was terminated, and the team lacked funds for basic supplies such as rugby balls and bottled water.

Waisale Serevi is highly regarded as the best player ever in sevens rugby. Nicknamed the "maestro", played in this side from 1989 to 2006 leading them to countless tournament victories, two Sevens World Cups in 1997 and 2005.

World Rugby Sevens Series

Main article: World Rugby Sevens Series

Fiji has won the World Rugby Sevens Series four times — first in 2005–06, and most recently in 2018–19.

Quadrennial tournaments

Summer Olympics

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Commonwealth Games

Tournament Victories

• World Sevens Series Winners (2005–06, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018–19)
• Summer Olympics Gold (2016, 2020)
• Rugby World Cup Sevens Champions (1997, 2005,2022)
• Commonwealth Games: Silver (1998, 2002, 2018,2022); Bronze (2006)
• Hong Kong Sevens Winners (1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• World Games Gold (2001, 2005, 2009)
• Pacific Games Gold (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2019)
• Darwin Hottest Sevens Winner (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008)
• Oceania Sevens Winners (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021)
• Gala Sevens Winner (1991)
• Australia Sevens Winners (2000, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2020)
• USA Sevens Winners (2007, 2015, 2016)
• Singapore Sevens Winners (2006, 2018)
• Scotland Sevens Winners (2009, 2015)
• Mar de Plata Winners (2000, 2002)
• New Zealand Sevens Winners (2000, 2006, 2010, 2018, 2019)
• South Africa Sevens Winners (1999, 2002, 2005, 2018)
• London Sevens Winners (2006, 2012, 2018, 2019)
• Dubai Sevens Winners (2013, 2015)
• Japan Sevens Winners (1995–97, 2000, 2014)

Players

Current squad

The following players have been selected to represent Fiji during the 2023–24 SVNS tournament beginning in December 2023.

Note: Caps reflect the total number of SVNS events competed in as of the 2023 Dubai Sevens.

Records and statistics

Olympic squads

Player records

The following section lists player records from the World Rugby Sevens Series. Players in bold are still active.

Award winners

The following Fiji Sevens players have been recognised at the World Rugby Awards since 2004:

Former players

In addition to the players listed above, other notable players include:

• Waisale Serevi
• William Ryder
• Jerry Tuwai
• Osea Kolinisau
• Semi Kunatani
• Rupeni Caucaunibuca
• Samisoni Viriviri
• Semi Radradra
• Levani Botia
• Manasa Bari
• Sireli Bobo
• Vilimoni Delasau
• Temesia Kaumaia
• Ifereimi Naruma
• Norman Ligairi
• Timoci Matanavou
• Lepani Nabuliwaqa
• Vereniki Goneva
• Setareki Tawake
• Aisea Tuilevu
• Seru Rabeni
• Kameli Ratuvou
• Ifereimi Rawaqa
• Viliame Satala
• Jope Tuikabe
• Mosese Volavola
• Apolosi Satala
• Semisi Naevo
• Watekini Vunisa

Head coaches

Bibliography

• McLaren, Bill A Visit to Hong Kong in Starmer-Smith, Nigel & Robertson, Ian (eds) The Whitbread Rugby World '90 (Lennard Books, 1989)

References

References

1. (27 July 2021). "Fiji beats New Zealand to clinch back-to-back Olympic titles".
2. [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/olympics/2016/08/11/team-gb-vs-south-africa-rio-olympics-rugby-sevens-semi-live/ "Rugby Sevens final: Team GB thrashed 43-7 as Fiji win their first-ever Olympic medal"], Telegraph, Daniel Schofield, 12 August 2016.
3. [https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/sevens/article/2028115/qa-ben-ryan-life-after-becoming-olympic-legend-and-fijian-chief "Q&A: Ben Ryan on life after becoming an Olympic legend – and Fijian chief – as coach of the island’s gold-medal rugby team"], South China Morning Post, James Porteous, 15 October 2016.
4. "No Money, No Problem for Fiji Rugby Sevens Team", New York Times, Emma Stoney, March 28, 2014.
5. "Fiji secure back-to-back titles after day one in London", Telegraph, Oliver Pickup, 21 May 2016.
6. "Fiji storms to sevens gold, claiming first-ever Olympic medal", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 12 August 2016.
7. "A potted history of sevens at the Commonwealth Games", WorldRugby.org, 6 April 2018.
8. "Fiji suspended from 2010 Commonwealth Games", Herald Sun, Julie Tullberg, October 12, 2009.
9. "Fiji drops Games boycott threat", news.com.au, March 27, 2014.
10. "Fiji storms to sevens gold, claiming first-ever Olympic medal", Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 12 August 2016.
11. [https://www.scmp.com/sport/rugby/hk-sevens/article/2155769/how-fiji-sevens-waisale-serevi-and-his-band-schoolchildren "How Fiji Sevens’ Waisale Serevi and his band of ‘schoolchildren’ took the Hong Kong 1997 World Cup home"], South China Morning Post, Sam Agars, 18 July 2018.
12. [https://www.ur7s.com/news/fiji-storm-to-victory-in-oceania-sevens-in-noosa-with-victory-over-new-zealand-in-the-final "Fiji storm to victory in Oceania Sevens in Noosa with victory over New Zealand in the final"] {{Webarchive. link. (2018-10-27 , Ultimate Rugby Sevens, Nick Jordan, 4 October 2014.)
13. [https://www.world.rugby/sevens-series/stats/mens/alltime/players?metric=tries&team=2413 World Rugby]
14. "Awards Roll of Honour - World Rugby".
15. (11 May 2014). "Fijian Samisoni Viriviri voted IRB Sevens Player of the Year".
16. (4 November 2019). "Tuwai named World Rugby Men's 7s Player of the Year 2019".