The Fiji National Rugby Sevens Team has competed in the

World Rugby Sevens Series The World Rugby Men's Sevens Series is an annual series of international rugby sevens tournaments run by World Rugby featuring national sevens teams. Organised for the first time in the 1999–2000 season as the IRB World Sevens Series, the com ...

Rugby World Cup Sevens Rugby World Cup Sevens (RWCS) is the quadrennial world championship of rugby sevens, a variant of rugby union. Organised by World Rugby, it currently consists of men's and women's tournaments, and is the highest level of competition in the sport ...

and the

Olympics The modern Olympic Games or Olympics (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques) are the leading international sporting events featuring summer and winter sports competitions in which thousands of athletes from around the world participate in a var ...

. Fiji won the gold medal in the inaugural

rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics Rugby sevens at the Summer Olympics was played for the first time at the 2016 Summer Olympics with both men's and women's contests. Rugby sevens was added to the Olympics following the decision of the 121st IOC Session in Copenhagen in October ...

2016 File:2016 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Bombed-out buildings in Ankara following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt; the impeachment trial of Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff; Damaged houses during the 2016 Nagorno-Karabakh ...

Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...

, the country's first Olympic medal in any event, and repeated as Olympic champions in the

2020 Summer Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the ...

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

, defeating New Zealand. Thus Fiji is the sole nation to have won Olympic gold in the sport. They are the only country in the world to have won the Sevens Treble (the Olympics, Sevens Series, and World Cup), the three major achievements in Sevens. They have won multiple

and

. Fiji Sevens is watched and enjoyed by fans around the world for its style of play — the "Flying Fijians" play with Fijian flair. Their passing and offloads can be unorthodox for traditional rugby coaching, and more similar to basketball style.

History

The

International Rugby Board World Rugby is the world governing body for the sport of rugby union. World Rugby organises the Rugby World Cup every four years, the sport's most recognised and most profitable competition. It also organises a number of other international rug ...

(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 Waisale Tikoisolomoni Serevi (born 20 May 1968) is a Fijian former rugby union football player and coach, and is a member of the World Rugby Hall of Fame. Serevi is renowned for his achievements in rugby sevens, while also enjoying a long car ...

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

Fiji has won the World Rugby Sevens Series four times — first in 2005-06, and most recently in 2018-19. Fiji is one of only two teams — along with New Zealand — to finish in the top four of the World Series every season since its inception.

Quadrennial tournaments

Summer Olympics

Fiji Rugby Team at the 2020 Olympics (cropped)

Rugby World Cup Sevens

Commonwealth Games

Tournament Victories

World Sevens Series The World Rugby Men's Sevens Series is an annual series of international rugby sevens tournaments run by World Rugby featuring national sevens teams. Organised for the first time in the 1999–2000 season as the IRB World Sevens Series, the com ...

Winners (2005–06, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2018-19) *

Summer Olympics The Summer Olympic Games (french: link=no, Jeux olympiques d'été), also known as the Games of the Olympiad, and often referred to as the Summer Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event normally held once every four years. The inau ...

Gold (2016, 2020) *

Champions (1997, 2005) *

Commonwealth Games The Commonwealth Games, often referred to as the Friendly Games or simply the Comm Games, are a quadrennial international multi-sport event among athletes from the Commonwealth of Nations. The event was first held in 1930, and, with the exce ...

: Silver (1998, 2002, 2018); Bronze (2006) *

Hong Kong Sevens The Hong Kong Sevens () is an rugby sevens tournament held annually in Hong Kong on a weekend in late March or early April. Considered the premier tournament on the World Rugby Sevens Series competition, the Hong Kong Sevens is currently the s ...

Winners (1977, 1978, 1980, 1981, 1984, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2005, 2009, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019) *

World Games The World Games are an international multi-sport event comprising sports and sporting disciplines that are not contested in the Olympic Games. They are usually held every four years, one year after a Summer Olympic Games, over the course of 11 d ...

Gold (2001, 2005, 2009) *

Pacific Games The Pacific Games (French: Jeux du Pacifique), is a continental multi-sport event held every four years among athletes from Oceania. The inaugural Games took place in 1963 in Suva, Fiji, and most recently in 2019 in Apia, Samoa. The Games wer ...

Gold (1995, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2015, 2019) *

Darwin Hottest Sevens The Darwin Hottest Sevens, known as the Hottest 7s in the World or the Hottest 7s, is a rugby sevens tournament held annually in Darwin, Australia on a weekend in early October. The event is sponsored by Heineken and is hosted by the Northern ...

Winner (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008) * Oceania Sevens Winners (2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2021) *

Gala Sevens Gala Sevens is an annual rugby sevens event held by Gala RFC, in Galashiels, Scotland. The Gala Sevens was the second of the Border Sevens tournaments to be instated in 1884, just behind the Melrose Sevens in 1883. Held around the start of eve ...

Winner (1991) * Australia Sevens Winners (2000, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2020) *

USA Sevens The USA Sevens is a rugby sevens tournament held annually during March in the United States. The USA Sevens is the largest annual rugby competition in North America, drawing over 60,000 fans, and is broadcast live in the United States by ESPN. ...

Winners (2007, 2015, 2016) *

Singapore Sevens The Singapore Sevens is an annual rugby sevens tournament contested by national teams. It was first hosted as part of the IRB World Sevens Series in 2002. The Standard Chartered Bank was the original title sponsor. It was effectively replace ...

Winners (2006, 2018) *

Scotland Sevens The Scotland Sevens was a rugby sevens tournament that was part of the Sevens World Series. In the 2014-15 season it was the penultimate event of the Sevens World Series circuit. It was first held in 2007 but has been removed from the series ...

Winners (2009, 2015) *

Mar de Plata Mar del Plata is a city on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, in Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. It is the seat of General Pueyrredón district. Mar del Plata is the second largest city in Buenos Aires Province. The name "Mar del Plata" is a s ...

Winners (2000, 2002) *

New Zealand Sevens The New Zealand national rugby sevens team competes in the World Rugby Sevens Series, Rugby World Cup Sevens, Summer Olympic Games and the Commonwealth Games. They have won a record twelve World Rugby Sevens Series titles. The team has been o ...

Winners (2000, 2006, 2010, 2018, 2019) *

South Africa Sevens The South Africa Sevens is an annual rugby sevens tournament that is held in South Africa. It is currently hosted in Cape Town and is part of the Sevens World Series run by World Rugby. A South African leg of the World series has been include ...

Winners (1999, 2002, 2005, 2018) *

London Sevens The London Sevens is an annual rugby sevens tournament held at Twickenham Stadium in London. It is part of the World Rugby Sevens Series. London was added to the World Series for the first time in 2001. For many years the London Sevens was the l ...

Winners (2006, 2012, 2018, 2019) *

Dubai Sevens The Dubai Sevens is an annual rugby sevens and social event held at The Sevens Stadium in Dubai, UAE. Founded in 1970, the event is the longest running sports event in the Middle East. Events The Dubai Sevens has four competitions each year ...

Winners (2013, 2015) * Japan Sevens Winners (1995–97, 2000, 2014)

Players

Current squad

Fiji team for the

2020 Tokyo Olympics The , officially the and also known as , was an international multi-sport event held from 23 July to 8 August 2021 in Tokyo, Japan, with some preliminary events that began on 21 July. Tokyo was selected as the host city during the 1 ...

# Kalione Nasoko #

Josua Vakurunabili Josua Vakurunabili (born 10 June 1992) is a Fijian rugby union player. Biography Vakurunabili is from Vatukarasa Village in the Nadroga Navosa Province. He made his senior international debut at the London Sevens in 2017. He was named in the Dr ...

# Meli Derenalagi # Iosefo Masi # Asaeli Tuivuaka #

Semi Radradra Semi Radradra Turagasoli Waqavatu (born 13 June 1992) is a Fijian professional rugby union and rugby league footballer. He currently plays rugby union for the English club Bristol Bears and the Fiji national team. Nicknamed 'Semi Trailer ...

Vilimoni Botitu Vilimoni Botitu (born 15 June 1998) is a Fijian professional rugby union player for Castres Olympique in the French Top 14 The Top 14 () is a professional rugby union club competition that is played in France. Created in 1892, the Top 14 ...

Waisea Nacuqu Waisea Nacuqu (born 24 May 1993) is a Fiji national rugby sevens team player. Nacuqu is known as "game breaker" and has on many occasions scored match winning tries. He is well known for his speed and scoring tries. Nacuqu is from Votua village n ...

Napolioni Bolaca Napolioni Ratu Bolaca (born 20 November 1996) is a Fijian rugby sevens and rugby union player, who has played for the Fiji national rugby sevens team since 2019. At club level, he plays for Fijian Drua. Bolaca was the top point scorer in the 20 ...

# Jiuta Wainiqolo #

Aminiasi Tuimaba Aminiasi Tuimaba (born 26 March 1995) is a Fiji national rugby sevens team player. He plays the wing position. He is known for his speed and try scoring. He finished the 2018/19 season as the top try scorer for the Fiji Sevens team and the 2nd ...

# Jerry Tuwai (c)

Former squads

Player records

The following section lists player records from the

. Players in bold are still active. Most points: (''updated September 2018'')WorldRugby.org #

(1,310) #

Osea Kolinisau Osea Kolinisau, OF (born 17 November 1985) is a Fijian rugby union player who plays for Old Glory DC of Major League Rugby (MLR). He captained the Fiji Sevens side to their first olympic gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Early life and edu ...

(1,272) # William Ryder (987) # Vatemo Ravouvou (981) #

Nasoni Roko Nasoni 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 in the 15 man form of the game. He has played for the Fiji national rugby sevens team s ...

(857)

Former players

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

Manasa Bari Manasa Bari (born 27 May, 1974) is a Fijian former rugby union footballer and currently, coach. He played as Wing (rugby union), wing. Career Bari was first capped Fiji national rugby union team, Fiji during the test match against Samoa national ...

Sireli Bobo Isireli Bobo (born 28 January 1976), is a Fijian rugby union footballer. Early career Early in his career, he played for Grupo Dramático e Sportivo Cascais, a Portuguese team. He was in the Nawaqavesi 7s and was subsequently picked to play at ...

* Vilimoni Delasau * Temesia Kaumaia * Ifereimi Naruma * Norman Ligairi *

Timoci Matanavou Timoci Matanavou (born 8 July 1984 in Lautoka, Fiji) is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a wing. He plays for Stade Toulousain in the Top 14 competition. International Matanavou attracted the attention of Fiji Rugby Sevens team selectors ...

* Lepani Nabuliwaqa *

Vereniki Goneva Vereniki Goneva (born 5 April 1984) is a Fijian rugby union footballer who plays for Mont-de-Marsan in France's Pro D2, the second division. He plays as a centre or wing. Goneva made his debut in English rugby for Rotherham against Northamp ...

Setareki Tawake Setareki "Seta" Tawake Naivaluwaqa (born 1 March 1969 in Kavala, Kadavu) is a retired Fijian rugby union player, who was capped for Fiji on 31 occasions. He played as Openside flanker or Number 8. He played in two Rugby World Cups. He was also a ...

Aisea Tuilevu Aisea Tuilevu Kurimudu (born 13 July 1972 in Sigatoka) is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He has represented the national team on numerous occasions, including at the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia. He has also played for the Highlanders a ...

Seru Rabeni Ratu Seru Rabeni (27 December 1978 – 15 March 2016) was a Fijian rugby union player. He played as a centre or wing. At both club and international level, his physicality and heavy tackles earned him the nickname "Rambo". Career Early career R ...

Kameli Ratuvou Kameli Ratuvou (born 6 November 1983) is a Fijian rugby union player. 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 ...

* Ifereimi Rawaqa *

Viliame Satala Viliame Satala (born 19 July 1972 in Lautoka) is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a Centre (rugby union), centre or Wing (rugby union), wing. His nickname is "The Stretcher" for his ability to flatten opposition players. Satala was na ...

* Jope Tuikabe *

Mosese Volavola Mosese Volavola (born 6 June 1979 in Lautoka, Fiji) is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a Flanker or as a Lock. His nickname is Mo or Moji. Volavola is 6 feet 3 inches (190 cm) tall and weighs 224 pounds (99 kg). ...

Apolosi Satala Apolosi Vonowale Satala (born 14 August 1978 in Namoli, Lautoka Fiji) is a Fijian rugby union footballer. He plays as a wing, centre, number eight and Flanker . His nickname is Apo. He is the cousin of Namoli steelman, Viliame Satala. He is ma ...

Semisi Naevo Ratu Meli Semisi Naevo Saukawa (born 3 May 1975 in Nawaka, Nadi) is a Fijian rugby union player. He plays as a flanker. His nickname is Man Mountain. His father, Joeli Lesavua, and two brothers, Apenisa and Manoa Naevo, are also Fiji reps. C ...

* Watekini Vunisa

Head coaches

Gareth Baber Gareth Baber (born 23 May 1972) is a Welsh former rugby player and now a rugby union coach. He is best known for coaching and leading the Fiji sevens team to win their second gold medal in rugby sevens at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He coached Fij ...

(2016–present) - Baber has won the most tournaments by a Fiji 7s coach and has coached the side to their 4th World Series Title in 2019. In addition, Baber also coached the Fiji 7s side to victory by bringing the country's second gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. * Ben Ryan (2013–16) - Ryan coached the Fiji 7s side to 2 back-to-back world series titles and the country's first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics. *

(2005–07; 2008–09) — Serevi coached/played in the side from 2005-2007 guiding Fiji to their first

title in the 2005/2006 season. * Etuwate Waqa * Ratu Kitione Vesikula * Alifereti Dere (2010–13) * Pauliasi Tabulutu (2004–06) * Rupeni Ravonu * Peni Veidreyaki * Alifereti Cawanibuka * Josateki Sovau * Tomasi Cama (2001) *

Sanivalati Laulau Sanivalati Laulau (Nawaka, 1952 – 13 January 2013) was a Fijian rugby union footballer. He played on the wing. He represented Nawaka. Laulau had 32 caps for Fiji, scoring 20 tries, 80 points in aggregate. He is the current record holder for hi ...

* Tevita Wainiqolo

Bibliography

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

References

External links

*
WorldRugby profile
{{National sports teams of Fiji Fiji national rugby union team National rugby sevens teams