State of the Nation: Fiji’s indiscipline ‘exaggerated the inevitable’ while duo provide very real hope for the nation
State of the Nation: Fiji's indiscipline 'exaggerated the inevitable' while duo provide very real hope for the nation
Following the conclusion of the Southern Hemisphere leg of the 2026 Nations Championship, we update you on the state of the participating nations. Next up, it’s Senirusi Seruvakula’s Fiji.
Nations Championship summary
Fiji’s Nations Championship started poorly, and only got worse as the weeks went on.
First up, Wales in Cardiff. Despite it being a ‘home’ game for Fiji, they were forced to play at the Cardiff City Stadium, which did the Flying Fijians no favours.
Despite tries from Pita Gus Sowakula, Selestino Ravutaumada and Elia Canakaivata, they struggled to compete with the structured power game that the Welsh possessed. Losing Semi Radradra and Tim Hoyt early in the game did nothing to help their efforts, as they lost 24-39.
The less said about their second game, the better. Again, forced to play their home game in the opposition’s country, Fiji faced England at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool.
They were second best from the moment Marcus Smith scored the first try. Five minutes was all it took, and it would only get worse from then on. A yellow card for Levani Botia for diving over the ruck, and a half-time red card for scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli were enough to signal the end of Fiji’s fight. They scored just one try through Tevita Ikanivere, ending the match with an 8-73 loss.
Their third and final match of the Nations Championship came against Scotland, a side fresh off the back of a brilliant contest against South Africa. But from the start, Scotland looked nothing like the side that had pushed the world champions to the brink a week prior. In fact, Fiji took a commanding lead heading into the second half, with three tries from Canakaivata, Ravutaumada and Ikanivere, respectively.
But again, this is where Fiji fell apart. They lost focus and Scotland started to run rampant, scoring four unanswered tries in the second half to make it 17-33 to the visitors.
Standout players
Josua Tuisova put in a complete performance against Scotland, getting himself involved in the game wherever possible, either with ball-in-hand, in the tackle or even in the breakdown, becoming the star of the Fijian show. Against Wales, it was his carry that inflicted major damage for the opening Fijian score, and this promising start was followed by a 13th-minute penalty-winning jackal, concluded by a collision that sent Jac Morgan hurtling to the floor. Even against England, he was defensively dominant and solid in attack.
Elia Canakaivata topped the charts for tackles and carries against Scotland and was always in the thick of the action, going above and beyond all requirements from his team. Against England, despite arriving off the bench, he made a great last-ditch tackle to stop Benhard Janse van Rensburg’s second try, and backed this up with four turnover wins. He also scored the maul try that got Fiji over their early second-half hump against Wales.
Stats leaders
Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula was Fiji’s top scorer with just 11 points, scoring one penalty and four conversions after starting the opening match at fly-half, before being benched for the second and getting drafted back in at full-back for the third.
Ravutaumada and Canakaivata led Fiji’s try-scoring charts with two each, both scoring against Scotland and Wales.
The Fijians are known for their excellence in open play, and two players in particular made the most of the limited opportunities this summer. Jiuta Wainiqolo and Ravutaumada each made 208 and 151 metres with the ball in hand, while Frank Lomani made two assists.
Fiji’s lack of success in this year’s Nations Championship was evident in the individual statistics, with few players standing out.
Main regret
Indiscipline from Kuruvoli and Botia in their match against England quickly turned the event at the Hill Dickinson Stadium into a non-contest.
First of all, Botia made a silly late hit on Jack van Poortvliet to give a penalty away at a scrum, and was later yellow-carded for diving over the ruck. He made his fair share of carries and tackles during the match, but his lack of discipline cost the team dearly.
Shortly afterwards, a moment of madness from Kuruvoli at the end of the first half resulted in a red card, when he kicked into Ellis Genge’s chest as he raced towards the breakdown. A disciplinary committee would later find Kuruvoli guilty of “physical abuse in contravention of Law 9.12”, which will see him banned for four matches.
Although Fiji were surely heading towards defeat without these indiscretions, their lack of discipline only accelerated and exaggerated the inevitable.
Want more from Planet Rugby? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for world-class coverage you can trust.
Success story
Coming away from a zero-point campaign, it’s difficult to find positives within the murky surroundings of defeat. But sometimes you need just take a step back from the fog and take in the light outside of the pitch, because the real success for Fiji were their fans.
At Everton Football Club’s Hill Dickinson Stadium, it really did feel like a home game for Fiji. There are over 8,000 Fijian’s now living in England and Wales, and it felt like the entire population had congregated at the ground.
The atmosphere was filled with joy, festivities and genuine celebration of the wonderful culture, as they had a rare opportunity to see their country’s best in person.
Although the results didn’t go their way, the opportunity to play in front of their own fans in many different European cities will inspire thousands, and surely benefit the proud island nation for future years.
Results
Fiji v Wales (Fiji won 39-24)
Fiji v England (England won 8-73)
Fiji v Scotland (Scotland won 17-33)