| Union | Fiji Rugby Union | |
|---|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Warriors, Fiji A | |
| Emblem(s) | thePalm | |
| Coach(es) | Senirusi Seruvakula | |
| ||
TheFiji Warriors, also referred to asFiji A, is a national representativerugby team ofrugby union in Fiji. It is the second-tier side to theFiji national team. The Warriors team is selected from players in the Fijian domestic competitions and competes in theWorld Rugby Pacific Challenge againstSamoa A andTonga A.[1] Since 2016, the Fiji Warriors team has played in the Americas Pacific Challenge against national A teams from North and South America.
Fiji's national A team has made several tours to South America, the earliest being in 2003 where they defeatedUruguay 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 theFiji 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 firstPunjas 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 the2015 World Rugby Pacific Challenge, the Fiji Warriors were the runner-up, with wins over Junior Japan and Samoa A and two defeats against the ArgentinePampas XV. InMay 2015, the Fiji Warriors made a South American tour to play Uruguay and an Argentina XV, winning all three matches.In 2016, it playedWorld Rugby Pacific Challenge and alsoWorld Rugby Americas Pacific Challenge.
Notes
Fiji Warriors 28-man squad for the uncappedJune matches againstUruguay andPampas XV, acting as2015 Rugby World Cup warm-ups for all three nations. The team will be coached bySenirusi Seruvakula, who will work closely with the national head coachJohn McKee.[7]
Warriors Head Coach:
Senirusi Seruvakula
Note: Flags indicate national union for the club/province as defined byWorld Rugby.
| Player | Position | Date of birth (age) | Caps | Club/province |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sireli Ledua (c) | Hooker | (1985-12-12)12 December 1985 (age 39) | 6 | Northland |
| Jale Sassen | Hooker | (1992-09-06)6 September 1992 (age 32) | 0 | Tailevu |
| Seru Cakobau | Hooker | (1988-05-22)22 May 1988 (age 36) | 0 | Nadroga |
| Leeroy Atalifo | Prop | (1988-03-10)10 March 1988 (age 37) | 1 | Suva |
| Taniela Koroi | Prop | (1990-02-08)8 February 1990 (age 35) | 1 |  Wellington |
| Peni Ravai | Prop | (1990-06-16)16 June 1990 (age 34) | 2 | Nadroga |
| Kirwan Sanday | Prop | (1991-02-13)13 February 1991 (age 34) | 0 |  Easts Tigers |
| Joeli Veitayaki Jr. | Prop | 0 | Naitasiri | |
| Apisai Naikatini | Lock | (1985-04-04)4 April 1985 (age 40) | 18 | Wellington |
| Savenaca Tabakanalagi | Lock | (1986-08-31)31 August 1986 (age 38) | 0 | Suva |
| Mataiasi Ucutabua | Lock | 0 | Vatukoula | |
| Meli Baivatu | Flanker | (1993-04-02)2 April 1993 (age 32) | 0 | Vatukoula |
| Jone Dyer | Flanker | 0 | Vatukoula | |
| Malakai Namalo | Flanker | 0 | Vatukoula | |
| Timoci Sauvoli | Flanker | 0 | Nadroga | |
| Jolame Bera | Number 8 | (1984-02-01)1 February 1984 (age 41) | 0 | Suva |
| Serupepeli Vularika | Scrum-half | 0 | Suva | |
| Emori Waqa | Scrum-half | (1993-04-24)24 April 1993 (age 32) | 0 | Tailevu |
| Isoa Donaldson | Fly-half | (1986-09-13)13 September 1986 (age 38) | 0 | Nadroga |
| Kini Douglas | Fly-half | (1994-01-05)5 January 1994 (age 31) | 0 | Naitasiri |
| Saimoni Tuilaucala | Centre | 0 | Tavua | |
| John Stewart | Centre | 0 | Suva | |
| Eroni Vasiteri | Centre | (1989-05-27)27 May 1989 (age 35) | 0 | Nadroga |
| Nacani Wakaya | Wing | 0 | Suva | |
| Josaia Qumi | Wing | 0 | Vatukoula | |
| Sam Speight | Wing | (1985-10-03)3 October 1985 (age 39) | 0 | Lautoka |
| Kitione Ratu | Fullback | 0 | Vatukoula | |
| Tikilaci Vuibau | Fullback | (1992-08-14)14 August 1992 (age 32) | 0 | Northland |
Pacific Challenge (formerly thePacific Rugby Cup)
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'sPampas 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 againstFiji Barbarians |
| 2009 | 2nd | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 168 | 89 | +79 | 3 | 2 | 17 | 19–7 | Won final againstUpolu 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 toSavaii 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) |
![[icon]](/mt/?noimg=&dark=on&url=https%3a%2f%2fwikipedia.org%2fwiki%2fFile%3aWiki_letter_w_cropped.svg) | This sectionneeds expansion with: updated results. You can help byadding to it.(November 2016) |
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 |
