Fiji rugby

'My sights are firmly set on helping Fiji' - Gareth Baber makes a Cardiff return

Welsh born Baber represented his country at 7s and was the assistant coach of the Wales under-20 side before opting for the shortened version of the game which saw him take over from Ben Ryan as Fiji head coach following the gold medal triumph in Rio in 2016.

Flying Fijians make injury enforced changes to tour squad

Star midfielder Levani Botia, who captained Fiji against the All Blacks in July, will undergo a knee operation this month and has been replaced by Apisai Naqalevu.

Hooker Peni Narisia has been replaced by Zuriel Togiatama after suffering a calf injury, while veteran lock Api Ratuniyarawa has been called in to replace flanker Peceli Yato, who injured his knee playing for Clermont at the weekend.

Biarritz back-rower Johnny Dyer has also pulled out of the tour for personal reasons and the coaching staff is still weighing up whether to call in another player.

The man who makes Fijians fly

Naca Cawanibuka has spent the best part of 15 years fine-tuning the country's top rugby talent into world class athletes.

As head of Fiji Rugby's strength and conditioning programme, he's attended two Rugby World Cups, played a key role in four World Sevens Series titles, and was instrumental in Fiji winning back to back Olympic gold medals.

Now he's taking on a new challenges as Head of Athletic Performance for the country's first ever Super Rugby team, the Fijian Drua.

A former Fiji 7s international himself, Cawanibuka said fitness was king.

Fiji, Samoa 7s to miss start of the World Series

The new season kicks off in Vancouver on September 18, with another tournament in Edmonton the following weekend.

But Fiji's Olympic gold medal winning team and Pacific neighbours Samoa have joined New Zealand, Australia and Argentina in opting to skip the Canadian wing because of the ongoing effects of Covid-19.

Fiji's players went more than four months without seeing their friends and families in order to achieve their Olympic dream in Japan.

Fijian star to shun lucrative overseas contract offers

The 23-year-old told Fiji Times he received many overseas offers after the gold medal win in Tokyo but wanted to continue to play for his country and is in the final year Bachelor of Science in Fisheries student at the FNU’s College of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (CAFF).

Masi said: “I plan to further my studies and continue to play for Fiji. Right now I can’t wait to go back home to Taveuni and see my parents. I cannot stop thinking about them as it breaks my heart being away from them. I can’t wait for the borders to be open.”

Fiji 7s coach undecided on future following gold medal win

The Welshman guided Fiji to it's second Olympic gold medal in Tokyo on Wednesday, defending the title they won in Rio.

He took charge of the team at the start of 2017 and has led Fiji to one World Series title, a Commonwealth Games silver medal and now Olympic gold.

Baber's contract is up at the end of year but he said nothing had been decided yet.

"I've had my contract extended until the end of December so I am still under contract at Fiji Rugby at the moment...I'll take some time and have a think as well", he said.

Savea and Lienert-Brown back for All Blacks, Mo'unga starts at first-five

Coach Ian Foster has made nine changes to the starting XV from the first test win over Fiji.

The loose forwards have been swapped out with Ardie Savea returning from injury to start at openside, with Akira Ioane at blindside and Luke Jacobson at No.8, replacing Ethan Blackadder, Shannon Frizell and Hoskins Sotutu.

Anton Lienert-Brown is back in the midfield after overcoming injury and he'll start at centre outside second-five David Havili, pushing Rieko Ioane to the reserves.

It will be the 50th test match for both Savea and Lienert-Brown.

Fiji rugby reaches compromise on Vaccinate message

The team was supposed to wear jerseys with the words "Vaccinate Fiji" emblazoned on the chest in last Saturday's first test against New Zealand in Dunedin, but the idea was ditched at the last minute because of opposition from some team members.

In a statement, Fiji Rugby Chief Executive John O'Connor said that after "comprehensive and productive discussions" with the Flying Fijian players, the team has agreed to wear the playing jersey featuring the "Vaccinate Fiji" message.

'These guys are rock stars': All Blacks in no way surprised by Fiji's first-test effort

The 57-23 win in Dunedin flattered the hosts in a match where they were dominated at the breakdown by the athletic, powerful frames of the hard-working Fijian forwards, before being able to take advantage of a tiring visiting side – fresh out of quarantine – late on.

Fiji, who had played just a single test since the 2019 World Cup, were a welcome step up from their Pacific neighbours, Tonga, who New Zealand had belted 102-0 a week prior.

'The Islands are the future': Fiji ready for expanded Rugby Championship

The Flying Fijians brought physicality, structure and tempo to the test and troubled the All Blacks for the best part of an hour. The side’s lack of preparation time as a squad leading up to the test seemingly did not show, as some nicely worked interchanges saw them rack up three tries in 60 minutes.

Considering some of the names missing from the Fijian squad for this two-test Steinlager Series with the All Blacks, head coach Vern Cotter will most likely be pleased with how his side represented themselves, both on and off the pitch on Saturday.