Fiji national rugby union team

The Fijian rugby union team represents Fiji at international level in the sport of Rugby Union. It is classified by the World Association International Rugby Board (IRB ) in the second class strength ( second tier ). To date, the team was able to qualify for all except 1995 World Championships and reached 1987 and 2007 with the quarter-finals their best result. She takes part each year (until 2005 at the Pacific Tri-Nations ) at the Pacific Nations Cup. The responsible organization is the Fiji Rugby Union. As part of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, the Association organized sporadically Games of the Pacific Islanders, a common selection team of three Pacific States.

General situation

Fiji is one of the few countries where rugby union is the national sport. Of the approximately 860,000 inhabitants are about 80,000 licensed rugby player. However, the country lost many talents, since they usually play in the professional leagues in Australia, Europe or New Zealand and are often naturalized by the destination country. The most common examples are Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu ( New Zealand) and Lote Tuqiri (Australia). Fijians that retain their original nationality, can not always be used freely, as especially English clubs rarely provide a release for official matches.

The Fijians are rugby union ( 15er - Rugby) to the twelve best teams in the world. However, even more successful they are in the 7- Rugby, whose rules are based on those of the 15s rugby. They won two of the five previous sweeps of the 7 Rugby World Cup.

History

Rugby was first played in 1884 by Europeans and Fijian soldiers in Ba on the island of Viti Levu. 1913 European settlers founded the Fiji Rugby Union. In December of the same year made ​​the New Zealand All Blacks, who returned from a successful tour in California, a stopover in Fiji. The Fiji Rugby Union organized a game that lost composed of Europeans selection with 3:67.

The first international match of the Fijians found on August 15, 1924 in Apia (Samoa ) as part of a three -nation tournament against Tonga held and lost with 6:9. The crew of the Auckland University College in 1926 was the first that was in Fiji to visit. In the same year the Fijians played against Tonga in the first game of their traditional clothing, which consists of a white shirt with palm emblem and black shorts.

From 1924 to 1938 Fiji and Tonga played every second year a series of three internationals. At that time these were the only international games ever. 1938 came the first time the New Zealand Māori to Fiji. The Fijians, in turn, took their first trip to New Zealand in 1939. They won all their games against the national teams of the provincial associations, a match against the New Zealand national team, the All Blacks, but was not organized.

Another tour in New Zealand followed in 1951. The tour to Australia the following year kept the Australian federation, the Australian Rugby Union, to bankruptcy. Against the Wallabies resulted each one win and one loss. 1954 there was a second tour to Australia, which in turn broke all attendance records. 1957 toured the Fijians again in New Zealand.

First time in 1964, a tour was organized to Europe. 1970 defeated the Fijians in England and the Barbarians in 1974 they lost against New Zealand difference with just one point. In August 1977, the British Lions who appealed for a stopover in Fiji were beaten with 21:25. From 1982 to 1984, the Fijians remained unbeaten for 15 games.

With the introduction of the Pacific Tri-Nations in 1982 did not result in Fiji more ways to play. The team was invited to the 1987 World Cup and reached the quarter-finals. At the 1991 World Cup Fiji lost all three group games and found himself at the end of the table again. In qualifying for the 1995 World Cup Fiji failed because of Pacific rivals Tonga and Samoa. After this low point, the team was re-established, the qualifying for the 1999 World Cup. With wins against Canada and Namibia, she managed to move into the second round of the runners, but failed there to England.

In the 2003 World Cup, the Fijians won against Japan and U.S., but missed the third group rank the quarter-finals. On June 10, 2005, she suffered in a friendly match against New Zealand at 0:91 the worst defeat of the association 's history. In the 2007 World Cup, the Fijians achieved three wins in the first round and in the quarter- finals against eventual champions South Africa. At the World Cup 2011 D could only be obtained against Namibia in the heavy preliminary group.

The Cibi

Before each game, the team leads to a war dance known as Cibi to intimidate the enemy and to encourage herself. For the first time in 1939 he was dancing during the tour in New Zealand, to oppose the famous Haka of the All Blacks something equivalent. Ratu Sir George Cakobau, the former team captain, had to Ratu Bola, the paramount chief of the warrior tribe Navusaradave in Ba, turned and asked him to develop a new dance for the national team.

Ai tei vovo, tei vovo E ya, e ya, e ya, e ya Tei vovo, tei vovo E ya, e ya, e ya, e ya

Rai tu mai, rai tu mai Oi au a virviri Kemu bai Rai tu mai, rai ti mai Oi au a virviri Kemu bai

Yalewa Toa, toa yalewa Veico, veico, veico Au tabu moce koi au Au moce ga ki ni domo biau

Get ready, get ready Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh * Get ready, get ready Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh

Look over here, look here I build a war fence for you Look over here, look here I build a war fence for you

A rooster and a hen, They attack, attack, attack It is not lawful for me to doze Except for the sound of the rolling waves

Your ship is sunk deep, Do not think that I am also drowned. Your defense is just waiting To crumble when I prick inside into it

* Pronounced as a warning

Achievements

Internationals

As of July 5, 2008

World Championships

  • World Cup 1987: Quarterfinals
  • World Cup 1991: Preliminary round (no win)
  • World Cup 1995: not qualified
  • 1999 World Cup: second round (two preliminary round wins)
  • World Cup 2003: Preliminary Round ( two wins)
  • 2007 World Cup: Quarter-finals
  • World Cup 2011: Preliminary Round ( a victory )

Pacific Tri-Nations

Winner: 1983, 1985, 1986, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004

Known player

  • Seremaia Bai
  • Sireli Bobo
  • Rupeni Caucaunibuca
  • Vilimoni Delasau
  • Alifereti Doviverata
  • Bill Gadolo
  • Sisa Koyamaibole
  • Norman Ligairi
  • Nicky Little
  • Alifereti Mocelutu
  • Apenisa Naevo
  • Seru Rabeni
  • Simon Raiwalui
  • Jacob Rauluni
  • Moses Rauluni
  • Ifereimi Rawaqa
  • Radike Samo
  • Viliame Satala
  • Waisale Serevi
  • Koli Sewabu
  • Greg Smith
  • Aisea Tuilevu
  • Alfred Uluinayau
  • Joeli Veitayaki
  • Marika Vunibaka
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