Fiji Warriors

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Fiji Warriors
UnionFiji Rugby Union
Nickname(s)Warriors, Fiji A
Emblem(s)the Palm
Coach(es)Senirusi Seruvakula
Team kit
Fiji Warriors team at the 2016 Americas Pacific Challenge in Uruguay.

The Fiji Warriors, also referred to as Fiji A, is a national representative rugby team of rugby union in Fiji. It is the second-tier side to the Fiji national team. The Warriors team is selected from players in the Fijian domestic competitions and competes in the World Rugby Pacific Challenge against Samoa A and Tonga A.[1] Since 2016, the Fiji Warriors team has played in the Americas Pacific Challenge against national A teams from North and South America.

History

Fiji's national A team has made several tours to South America, the earliest being in 2003 where they defeated Uruguay by 24–3 in Montevideo.[2] But the history of the second national team can be traced back almost half a century earlier to 1955 when a Fiji XV side undertook a two-week tour of Samoa and was undefeated in all three matches played.[3]

The Fiji Warriors first played in the Pacific Rugby Cup in 2006, but the team was one of two Fijian sides in the competition for the first five years – the other being the Fiji Barbarians – and so it was not considered to be Fiji A for that period.

In 2010, Fiji A played two matches against  Tonga A in the first Punjas Series. The team had one win and one loss but claimed the series on aggregate scores.[4] This result was repeated in the second (and concluding) Punjas Series in 2011.[5]

The Pacific Rugby Cup was reorganised in 2011, with Fiji Warriors becoming the sole Fijian representative in the PRC, which has since been mainly contested by national 'A' teams. From 2011 onward the Fiji Warriors team has effectively been Fiji A.

In 2012, the Fiji A team toured to Ireland where they suffered one of their heaviest defeats, beaten 53–0 at Limerick by the  Ireland Wolfhounds.[6]

At the

May 2015
, the Fiji Warriors made a South American tour to play Uruguay and an Argentina XV, winning all three matches. In 2016, it played World Rugby Pacific Challenge and also World Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge.

Squads

2011

2011 Fiji Warriors squad – PRC

Notes

* denotes players who were in the Fiji 2011 RWC squad.
** denotes players who have played for Fiji in a Test.
*** denotes players who have played 7s for Fiji in the IRB Series.

2015

Fiji Warriors 28-man squad for the uncapped

June matches against Uruguay and Pampas XV, acting as 2015 Rugby World Cup warm-ups for all three nations. The team will be coached by Senirusi Seruvakula, who will work closely with the national head coach John McKee.[7]

Warriors Head Coach: Fiji Senirusi Seruvakula

  • Caps Updated: 15 May 2015

Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined by World Rugby.

Player Position Date of birth (age) Caps Club/province
Sireli Ledua (c)
Hooker
 (1985-12-12) 12 December 1985 (age 38) 6 Fiji Northland
Jale Sassen
Hooker
 (1992-09-06) 6 September 1992 (age 31) 0 Fiji Tailevu
Seru Cakobau
Hooker
 (1988-05-22) 22 May 1988 (age 35) 0 Fiji Nadroga
Leeroy Atalifo
Prop
 (1988-03-10) 10 March 1988 (age 36) 1 Fiji Suva
Taniela Koroi
Prop
 (1990-02-08) 8 February 1990 (age 34) 1 New Zealand Wellington
Peni Ravai
Prop
 (1990-06-16) 16 June 1990 (age 33) 2 Fiji Nadroga
Kirwan Sanday
Prop
 (1991-02-13) 13 February 1991 (age 33) 0 Australia Easts Tigers
Joeli Veitayaki Jr.
Prop
 0 Fiji Naitasiri
Apisai Naikatini
Lock
 (1985-04-04) 4 April 1985 (age 39) 18 New Zealand Wellington
Savenaca Tabakanalagi
Lock
 (1986-08-31) 31 August 1986 (age 37) 0 Fiji Suva
Mataiasi Ucutabua
Lock
 0 Fiji Vatukoula
Meli Baivatu Flanker (1993-04-02) 2 April 1993 (age 31) 0 Fiji Vatukoula
Jone Dyer Flanker 0 Fiji Vatukoula
Malakai Namalo Flanker 0 Fiji Vatukoula
Timoci Sauvoli Flanker 0 Fiji Nadroga
Jolame Bera
Number 8
 (1984-02-01) 1 February 1984 (age 40) 0 Fiji Suva
Serupepeli Vularika
Scrum-half
 0 Fiji Suva
Emori Waqa
Scrum-half
 (1993-04-24) 24 April 1993 (age 30) 0 Fiji Tailevu
Isoa Donaldson
Fly-half
 (1986-09-13) 13 September 1986 (age 37) 0 Fiji Nadroga
Kini Douglas
Fly-half
 (1994-01-05) 5 January 1994 (age 30) 0 Fiji Naitasiri
Saimoni Tuilaucala
Centre
 0 Fiji Tavua
John Stewart
Centre
 0 Fiji Suva
Eroni Vasiteri
Centre
 (1989-05-27) 27 May 1989 (age 34) 0 Fiji Nadroga
Nacani Wakaya
Wing
 0 Fiji Suva
Josaia Qumi
Wing
 0 Fiji Vatukoula
Sam Speight
Wing
 (1985-10-03) 3 October 1985 (age 38) 0 Fiji Lautoka
Kitione Ratu
Fullback
 0 Fiji Vatukoula
Tikilaci Vuibau
Fullback
 (1992-08-14) 14 August 1992 (age 31) 0 Fiji Northland

Record

Honours

Pacific Challenge (formerly the Pacific Rugby Cup)

Americas Pacific Challenge

Season standings

Pacific Challenge

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- TB LB Pts Final  Notes  
2020 2nd 3 2 0 1 88 26 +62 2 0 10 —   Runner-up on league table (no final)
2019 1st 3 3 0 0 170 54 +116 3 0 15 —   Title winner on league table (no final)
2018 1st 3 3 0 0 118 31 +87 3 0 15 —   Title winner on league table (no final)
2017 1st 3 3 0 0 125 71 +54 2 0 15 —   Title winner on league table (no final)
2016 1st 3 3 0 0 134 34 +100 3 0 15 36–0   Won final against  Samoa A
2015 2nd 3 2 0 1 145 42 +103 2 1 11 9–17   Lost final to Argentina's Pampas XV
2014 3rd 3 2 0 1 154 59 95 2 1 11 —   Won 3rd play-off 54–21 against  Tonga A
2013 1st 6 2 2 2 118 155 -37 2 0 14 —   Title winner on league table (no final)
2012 1st 8 7 0 1 205 165 40 3 0 31 —   Title winner on league table (no final)
2011 1st 8 4 0 4 144 201 -57 0 1 17 —   Title winner on league table (no final)
2010 1st 5 4 0 1 155 73 +82 2 1 19 26–17   Won final against Fiji Barbarians
2009 2nd 5 3 0 2 168 89 +79 3 2 17 19–7   Won final against Upolu Samoa
2008 6th 5 1 0 4 70 104 −34 0 3 7 —   Did not compete in finals
2007 4th 5 2 0 3 93 90 +3 0 1 11 —   Did not compete in finals
2006 2nd 5 3 1 1 112 72 +40 1 1 17 5–10   Lost final to Savaii Samoa

Americas Pacific Challenge

Year Pos Pld W D L F A +/- TB LB Pts Final  Notes  
2016 2nd 3 2 0 1 127 65 +62 4 0 12 —   Runner-up on league table (no final)

International results

Matches against national teams or national 'A" teams since 2010 up to and including the 2015 tour to Uruguay:

16-04-2010 (PS)  Fiji A 12–27  Tonga A National Stadium, Suva
23-04-2010 (PS)  Fiji A 21–3  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
19-03-2011 (PRC)  Fiji Warriors 21–14  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
22-03-2011 (PRC)  Samoa A 12–23 Fiji Warriors  Churchill Park, Lautoka
13-08-2011 (PS)  Fiji A 27–12  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
19-08-2011 (PS)  Fiji A 30–32  Tonga A Churchill Park, Lautoka
15-10-2012 (PRC) Fiji Warriors 42–34  Samoa A Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa
19-10-2012 (PRC)  Tonga A 16–25 Fiji Warriors Teufaiva Stadium, Nuku'alofa
17-11-2012  Ireland Wolfhounds 53–0 Fiji Warriors Thomond Park, Limerick
18-03-2014 (PRC)  
Junior Japan
 13–99 Fiji Warriors Bond University, Gold Coast
23-03-2014 (PRC) Fiji Warriors 54–21  Tonga A TG Milner Oval, Sydney
10-03-2015 (PRC) Fiji Warriors 20–22 Pampas XV National Stadium, Suva
14-03-2015 (PRC) Fiji Warriors 83–0  
Junior Japan
 National Stadium, Suva
18-03-2015 (PRC) Fiji Warriors 42–20  Samoa A National Stadium, Suva
23-03-2015 (PRC) Fiji Warriors 9–17 Pampas XV National Stadium, Suva
23-05-2015 Uruguay 22–30 Fiji Warriors Estadio Charrúa, Montevideo
27-05-2015  Argentina XV 21–23 Fiji Warriors Estadio Suppici, Colonia del Sacramento

See also

References

  1. ^ "PRC 2012 set for kick-off". Fiji Rugby. 10 February 2012. Archived from the original on 6 November 2014. Retrieved 27 January 2012.
  2. ^ Fiji XV Tour - Montevideo. ESPN. 13 August 2003.
  3. ^ Fiji XV tour 1955. ESPN.
  4. ^ Match 2 Report Fiji Live.
  5. ^ Fiji lose but claim Punjas Series Archived 2 February 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  6. ^ Fiji XV Tour - Limerick, 17 November 2012. ESPN.
  7. ^ Seruvakula Names Team to Uruguay

External links

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