The Fiji Times

Sloppy Samoa left to rue mistakes in defeat by Argentina

Samoa were left to rue too many handling errors at a wet Stade Geoffroy Guichard as they slipped to a 19-10 defeat by Argentina in their Rugby World Cup Pool D fixture on Friday, a blow to their quarter-final hopes. A try with five minutes to go from replacement hooker Sama Malolo gave Samoa some...

Former Wallaby Coleman set to make Tonga debut against Scotland

By Nick Said NICE, France (Reuters) – Coach Toutai Kefu has kept an unchanged starting XV but there could be a Tonga debut for 38-cap former Australia international lock Adam Coleman off the bench against Scotland in their Rugby World Cup Pool B fixture in Nice on Sunday. Kefu resisted the temptation to tinker with...

Ireland won’t only focus on Springbok forward power

PARIS (Reuters) – World number one Ireland are wary of not only the physical threat posed by defending champions South Africa in their Rugby World Cup Pool B clash in Paris on Saturday, but also the battle at the breakdown and the backline danger the Springboks possess. The eagerly-anticipated fixture is likely to decide the...

Wales also desperate to beat Australia in Lyon showdown

LYON, France (Reuters) -Wales coach Warren Gatland said his team will be desperate, but for the right reasons, when they face a Wallabies side playing to keep their World Cup campaign alive in Lyon on Sunday. With bonus-point wins over Fiji and Portugal in their first two matches, Wales could qualify for the quarter-finals with...

Women’s Invitational Mini 7s tournament | Fijiana loses opener

The Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s side won two of its three matches on day one of the Women’s Invitational Mini 7s tournament at Albert Park yesterday. After going down 5-22 to New Zealand in the opening match, Fiji bounced back with good wins against France and Australia. The Saiasi Fuli-coached side hammered France 29-7 before...

Argentina grind out 19-10 win over Samoa

By Nick Mulvenney SAINT-ETIENNE (Reuters) -Fullback Emiliano Boffelli scored 16 points in a man-of-the-match performance as Argentina got their World Cup campaign back on track with a hard fought 19-10 victory over a committed Samoa on Friday. Roared on by passionate Argentine support, Boffelli scored an early try and converted four of five kicks from...

Jones accepts Wallabies job is on the line in Wales showdown

By Nick Mulvenney LYON, France (Reuters) -Australia coach Eddie Jones accepts that his job will be on the line if the Wallabies lose to Wales on Sunday and crash out of the World Cup at the pool stage for the first time. A first loss to Fiji in nearly seven decades last week has left...

Scotland make four changes for Tonga clash

(Reuters) – Winger Kyle Steyn joins Scotland’s starting lineup for the Rugby World Cup Pool B clash with Tonga on Sunday, hoping for a repeat of the happy memories of the last time he played the Pacific islanders. Scotland coach Gregor Townsend has made four changes for the game in Nice, which the side must...

France thrash Namibia 96-0 but worry over Dupont injury

By Nick Said MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) -France dazzled as they ran in 14 tries for their biggest ever victory with a 96-0 hammering of Namibia on Thursday but it may have come at a cost to their World Cup campaign after captain Antoine Dupont was forced off early in the second half. Dupont left the...

592 athletes, officials confirmed for Pacific Games

A of 592 athletes and team officials as part of Team Fiji will be travelling to the capital of the Solomon Islands in November to compete at the Pacific Games. The names and the number of athletes were announced and confirmed by Team Fiji’s chef de mission, Ajay Ballu, during a media conference at the...

Vatubua to fight NZ boxer

Former IBO (International Boxing Organization) World Champion Renold Charles Samuela Vatubua is set to face New Zealand boxer Robert Berridge in the main bout of the Toe-to-Toe Boxing Promotion in November. Vatubua, who shares maternal links to Kadavu, has fought 29 professional bouts all over the world since his debut in the ring 15 years...

Suva next for holders

Defending INKK Farebrother Sullivan Trophy champions Nadroga would face their biggest challenge when they take on Suva at Lawaqa Park tomorrow. The Capital city side, which did not only top the Skipper Cup ladder after round seven, are also undefeated in the competition, and could pose a serious challenge to the Stallions for the coveted...

Ranitu: We need to be ruthless

‘We need to be ruthless in defense’. This according to Lautoka Maroons head coach Peniona Ranitu ahead of the Nivea Vanua Trophy Challenge against Rewa tomorrow at Lawaqa Park in Sigatoka. The Maroons left it right till the last minute in securing their win last weekend against Northland, and are aware that Rewa would execute...

Rewa anticipates a tough game against Lautoka

Rewa is anticipating a tough physical clash against defending Vanua Trophy Challenge trophy holders Lautoka this Saturday at Lawaqa Park. “We know that Lautoka is a very strong team as we had already played against them in the semi-finals of the Vanua Championship,” Rewa Rugby Union club games chairman Joji Daurewa said. He said they...

NZ women’s 7s team eager to shine in Suva

The New Zealand women’s national 7s team will be the team to watch out for in the Mini International Women’s 7s tournament that will be held in Suva. Head coach Cory Sweeney said his side was happy to be in Fiji and are anticipating an exciting competition when the mini-tournament starts today. “We just love...

Donu back for Fijiana

Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s forward Sesenieli Donu will be taking to the field today for the first time in eight months. The 27-year-old injured her right knee during the Women’s Rugby World Cup late last year. Donu is currently part of the extended Fijiana 7s side that is preparing for the Mini International Women’s tournament...

Group presents painting to team

A group of people living with disabilities in Bordeaux presented the FIJI Water Flying Fijians with a painting as a show of support towards their Rugby World Cup campaign. With the help of mural painter Mickael Dupuis, a social worker for people living with disabilities, the group was able to put together the piece with...

Players hold clinics

Several players from the FIJI Water Flying Fijians camp visited the Club de Rugby Lormont to hold clinics with more than 100 children in Bordeaux, France yesterday. Head coach Simon Raiwalui was joined by players Vilive Miramira, Iosefo Masi, Selestino Ravutaumada, Simione Kuruvoli and Zuriel Togiatama, and some of the coaching staff. The team took...

Special bond between team, hotel staff

Staff members of the Renaissance Hotel in Bordeaux have grown a liking for their guests in the FIJI Water Flying Fijians. The bond between the players/management and hotel staff is such that “things have not been the same” at the five-star property when the Fijians were away in St Etienne. The hotel has been the...

‘Opportunity to regroup’

The FIJI Water Flying Fijians are soaking in the atmosphere with time off before their next Rugby World Cup pool C match against Georgia. After a disappointing 26-32 loss to Wales in their opening game, the side bounced back to beat Australia 22-15 and keep their campaign alive. The side will face Georgia on October...

‘We want to make history’

FIJI Water Flying Fijians utility-back player Semi Radradra says the hurt of losing to Wales helped build fire in the bellies to prove they are a better team. The 26-32 loss in their 2023 Rugby World Cup match at Stade de Bordeaux in Bordeaux was a heartbreaker for many Fijian fans and the players themselves....

Flying Fijian mum believes team has what it takes to bring Cup home

Makarita Savai, mother of FIJI Water Flying Fijians winger Selestino Ravutaumada believes the side has what it takes to bring the Webb Ellis Cup home. The Fijian Drua winger was in sensational form during Fiji’s win over England, one of the warm-up matches just before the World Cup. Ravutaumada, although heavily marked by the Welsh...

Portugal stack bench with forwards for Georgia match

SAINT-ETIENNE, France (Reuters) -Portugal coach Patrice Lagisquet has stacked his bench with six forwards to counteract Georgia’s power up front late in the game when the familiar foes meet at the World Cup in Toulouse on Saturday. The Portuguese have played Georgia more than any other country barring neighbours Spain and Romania but have not...

Farrell, Smith and Arundell start for England against Chile

By Mitch Phillips MARSEILLE, France (Reuters) -England’s Owen Farrell will make his first appearance at the Rugby World Cup when he starts at flyhalf against Chile in Lille on Saturday with Marcus Smith at fullback and Henry Arundell on the wing as coach Steve Borthwick shuffles his resources. Farrell missed the wins over Argentina and...

Gordon set for axe as Wallabies face Welsh reckoning

By Nick Mulvenney SAINT-ETIENNE, France (Reuters) – Australia coach Eddie Jones looks set to abandon at least part of his gamble on youth at the World Cup by dropping flyhalf Carter Gordon for the crunch Pool C match against Wales this weekend. Jones omitted experienced playmakers Quade Cooper and Bernard Foley from his squad for...

Ireland bring in Gibson-Park for Pool B showdown with South Africa

PARIS (Reuters) – Ireland named scrumhalf Jamison Gibson-Park in their only change for the crunch Rugby World Cup Pool B clash with South Africa in Paris on Saturday as coach Andy Farrell selected an unchanged pack with a 5-3 split between forwards and backs on the bench. The fixture is expected to decide who finishes...

Georgia retain World Cup ambitions beyond Portugal match

SAINT-ETIENNE (Reuters) -Georgia coach Levan Maisashvili said the Lelos still have World Cup ambitions beyond beating Portugal in Toulouse on Saturday in a clash between the strongest European teams from outside the Six Nations. The match has been billed as the battle for fourth place in Pool C behind Wales, Fiji and Australia but Maisashvili...

Springboks ready for huge Ireland clash, back bench revolution

PARIS (Reuters) – South Africa’s Rugby World Cup Pool B clash with world number one side Ireland in Paris on Saturday is as big as it gets according to captain Siya Kolisi, while coach Jacques Nienaber knew their 7-1 bench “innovation” would get a negative response. Ireland are on a run of 15 straight victories...

Long road brings Leali’ifano home to Samoa at World Cup

SAINT-ETIENNE, France (Reuters) – Cancer survivor, former Wallaby and one of the nicest people in rugby, Christian Leali’ifano’s road to the World Cup has been longer and tougher than most but the flyhalf says he is finally at home in the Manu Samoa squad. The 35-year-old is one of the beneficiaries of the 2021 eligibility...

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Boys sharpen their ‘swords’