There was a time when even the biggest team in rugby feared the Flying Fijians. Their backline were not only lethal in attack but also aggressive in defence. The team which once held its own against bigger team now seems to have completely lost their love for the game.
Fiji rugby was known for their unpredictability, flamboyancy, flair and speed in both the backline and forward pack.
What has happened to the Flying Fijians? In my opinion, the coaching and managerial staff have had much to do with the fall away in form.
The Fiji Rugby Union selected a new coach after dismissing former coach Ilivasi Tabua, who took the team to the 2007 Rugby World Cup quarter finals.
The new coach, Sam Domoni, had no coaching international experience. Domoni was from Australia where his highest level as a coach was as an assistant coach to Manly Rugby club which he held for just one year.
The over two metre tall former lock had also played six tests for Fiji has a winning ratio of just 33%, prior to the 2011 Rugby World Cup (15 tests, 5 wins, 1 draw).
Fiji was ranked ninth in the world prior to his selection in March 2010. Since his selection, Fiji has gone down seven places in world rankings and are now currently ranked 16th in the world with a chance to fall even further if they lose to Wales this weekend.
A country which prided themselves in rugby, known for producing some of the most fastest, mercurial and flamboyant players as well as being regarded as the strongest Tier 2 nation in world rugby has had the worst run the last 18 months.
The national side has lost to all Tier 1 teams including Australia, New Zealand, France, and even the lower ranked Italy. The side was humiliated twice by Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup and the Punjas Rugby series (two home and away tests played between Fiji and Tonga) as well as losing to Japan and Samoa as well.
Fiji no longer played the free flowing and broken play rugby they were famous for and even with some of the star players in the mix, Fiji still couldn’t win a single test which mattered.
Even at the Rugby World Cup, the over-hyped match between Fiji and Samoa was also a disappointment for rugby fans as it was very much one way from start to finish. It drew one of the biggest crowd at the 2011 Rugby World cup with well over 60,0000 in attendance.
The team selection for the RWC raised eyebrows. Some of the bigger names in Fiji rugby like center Seru Rabeni, England based, Sireli Naqelevuki prop, Graham Dewes and lock Ifereimi Rawaqa were completely dropped from the Fiji team, without a valid reason from the coach or the coaching staff and management.
A few other overseas based players like Rupeni Caucau, Sireli Bobo, Vilimoni Delasau, Josh Matavesi and Jone Qovu pulled out prior to the Pacific Nations Cup citing family commitments though it was very obvious why they pulled out.
Some selections didn’t make any sense such as the dropping of the very experienced prop, Graham Dewes whose try in the 2007 Rugby World Cup against Wales allowed Fiji to progress to the Quarter Finals, veteran lock Ifereimi Rawaqa who had been one of the pillars of Fiji Rugby forward pack for the last eight seasons and more importantly, centre Seru Rabeni, a player whose defensive and attacking skills scares even the strongest of oppositions.
The best scrumhalf based in Fiji, Nikola Matawalu was not selected because he is in the Fiji Navy and thus was banned from entering New Zealand.
Leone Nakarawa, who was employed by the Fiji Military Forces had to resign from his job so that he could be part of the team to the Rugby World Cup. He is undoubtedly one of Fiji’s most standout forwards at the World Cup.
The worst selection in the Fiji team has to be of the Fijian Fullback, France based Kini Murimurivalu. He has never played fullback for his french team, Clermont Auvergne. He was always used as a reserve winger and an under study to Former clermont wing, Napolioni Nalaga.
His selection was perhaps due to favouritism because Kini was part of the Fiji junior team at the 2009 IRB Junior World Championships which was managed by the coach, Sam Domoni’s brother, Dan Domoni.
The FRU was given FJD$3million dollars by the Fiji Government in preparations for the Rugby World Cup and according to recent reports, all the money is gone.
Fiji has probably been the biggest disappointment of the tournament thus far. Many rugby pundits have not given Fiji any chance of defeating Wales this weekend.
The Fiji Rugby Union has itself to blame for Fiji’s misfortunes and after the World Cup, they have to find out where they went wrong. In my view, though, the answer is obvious and lies with the coaching staff.
Most importantly, they have to rectify that mistake for the betterment of Fiji rugby because history does repeat itself and the loss to Samoa meant Fiji does not automatically qualify for the next World Cup.
Qualification for the 2015 World Cup is now required, and if the same coaches and managerial team is retained, the chances of seeing Fiji at the next world cup seems less likely.
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
lol robbie has an equally bad winning ratio hehe
tim
Guest
Sad to see Fiji rugby go down like this. im guttered as a fiji fan. Definitely going backwards since the last world cup. this article cleared up why they're going so bad. please please sack the coach and get someone with international rugby experience like robbie deans lol.
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
worst fiji rugby team to date.... even their performance made me change me allegiance to tonga and samoa ...
Polo Koiga
Guest
Is it me or do the Fijian players have butterfingers? Always losing the ball from the slightest bump or hit... it's insane! And they can't even tackle... or just lazy to tackle and follow up in the rucks
Karia_Kuta
Guest
Completely agree with nanamukatula, the amount of penalties given away by Fiji, was just ridiculous....besides relying on overseas experience of players, we also need to teach the rules of 15s back at home....i.e. rucking/mauling/breakdown rules, what gives away penalities, and how to actually play that aspect of the game, not just for forwards, but the backs as well. This has to be done at a grassroots level, from primary schools, through to provincial rugby at national level....everyone has to preach it, even the referees, who have to be on to it, to enforce the rules, so our boys learn. Seems like there was a big lack of understanding in ths area, and it cost us big time....and makes us look like a joke.
oikee
Guest
You ever watched France rugby. Instead of sending their boys to France, they should be sending them to super rugby. France will probably have them playing for France as well. You only have to be in the country 3 years before your a Frenceman.
Rob9
Roar Guru
Interesting points. Good to see the canucks finish third in a pool but i think the situation highlights a flaw in the world cup seedings and qualification process. Firstly seedings should be based on rankings when the draws done, similar to fifa. A lot can happen between world cups and seedings based on performance 4 years earlier isnt a fair way to do it. Fiji were in the 2nd pot for this cup (above both wales and samoa) and as has been discussed their current form doesnt warrant a high seeding. Having said that they should finish 4th in the pool which doesnt represent their strength. Either samoa or fiji should have appeared in group a to distribute the powers more evenly and not have 4 top 12 nations in the one pool. Id rate either of these sides over tonga and canada. Despite results going more or less to script with the recent improvement of wales, it has been exciting watching to watch the group of death unfold but the top 12 who are a notch above the rest should be spread evenly across the 4 pools. I think if it was samoa and not tonga playing france this weekend they could have given the frogs quite a headache. Finally automatic qualification for the top 3 in each pool. It should be scaled back to quarter or even semi finalists. Although we want them in the 20 at the end teams like tonga shouldnt have a free passage threw. I think we have a good representation of close to the top 20 at this cup and for 2015 the qualifying process should ensure that we have the 6 and 4 nations teams, the 3 pac islands, us, canada and japan, the top 3 from the euro nations cup and the last spot should go to either the best from africa or south america outside the tier 1s on those continents. If the same qualification process that you outlined above was maintained itt would be a shame for either the 3rd island or the 3rd euro nation to miss out. Although the top 12 will no doubt make the cut at the end of the day, more than half of the spots at a world cup should be up for grabs and we should make more teams work for the honour of playing in the games premier tournament. Just sort out a qualification process that favours the best.
kiwidave
Guest
Touche, paying attention there I see. They would have to let one of Tonga and Fiji into the playoff you'd think..
nanamukatula
Guest
fiji rugby needs to rectify the tight five problems. plain and simple. fiji cannot compete with the better sides in the world if they cannot "own" the possession from the set piece. you can have the best backs in the world in a team, but if they're getting ball on the back foot from a scrum going backwards, then they are useless. three tight heads and numerous penalties for illegal binding at scrum time or not binding at all by maafu. the writing was on the wall when namibia (the amateur amateurs) were pushing fiji around. manu was a one man band out there. nakarawa has signed a contract with saracens for after the world cup. lets hope they teach him about tight forward play.the back row were awesome. i say bring back ilivasi tabua as head coach and brad johnstone as his scrum doctor. GO FIJI !!!
sk
Guest
just a note on those saying they will only have to play PNG to qualify, lets have a look at the pool A standings 1. New zealand - 15 Points 2. France - 10 Points 3. Canada - 6 Points 4. Tonga - 5 Points 5. Japan - 2 points isn't that interesting, Canada are ahead of tonga going into the last game also note that even if tonga score a bonus point against france they still won't finish third as tie breakers are decided by who won the game between those two teams. so basicly Tonga would either have to beat france or score two bonus points to get automatic quilification. if the current qualification method is used only one of these teams will qualify. i would asume that the IRB will alow the island team that comes second in qualification to compete in the play off. so assuming they lose to tonga they will probally have to play hong kong/kazakstan/zimbabwe/moroco ect then russia/portugal. the first round should be a bit harder but although they should win in the sceond round there is definatly a chance for an upset, especially if russia keeps advancing the way they have been
Bakkies
Guest
Nagusa was in prime form for Montpellier he will get better at test level. Nacewa needs to grow up he is getting on now and he will be kicking himself when he retires after passing up chances to play test rugby.
Rob9
Guest
It has been a shame to see the slide of the Fijians. But i really believe they're just in a bit of a trough with regards to playing talent at the moment. In 07' they had a lot of guys at the peak of their powers. Samoa are an example of a team going threw a bit of a purple patch at the moment similar to the fijians in 07'. It will be interesting to see how they go this weekend, they tend to grow another leg when playing wales. Id still say they'll exit the cup with just the one win but qualify with their eyes closed and be back in 2015. Never fear the fijians are far from a spent force and still have many a big scalp to claim in the future.
Ross
Guest
I hadn't realised that all those big name players who aren't at the RWC- Caucau. Rabeni, Delasau etc- are perfectly healthy but just disenchanted with the Fijian set up. Their decline since 2007 is such a shame.
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
not so sure about Tabua as i really didn't follow rugby that closely back then, atleast not 15's but i have been told his winning ratio was slightly over 50%. Domoni is currently 30% but the worst part was when Tabua was coach, our ranking were maintained between 9th to 12th, we never went below that but with this guy, we went from 9th to 16th in less than 18 months....a reasonable mind would instantly know where the problem is and thats the coaching team and replace them but it seems like the Fiji Rugby Union are either blind or disinterested in fiji rugby ..i don't think a single tier 1 team would keep a coach with such a record let alone think about retaining them for the next 4 years ....
Dopey
Guest
Given that RWC draws are pulled out of a hat, I don't see how they can be 'placed' in a tough pool. I agree Fiji have been dissappointing this RWC and they don't seem to be playing a game plan that suits them. Trying to take on one of the best teams (and best forward packs) in the world, South Africa, with a pick and go gameplan was always destined to fail. Intrigued by your synopsis on Domoni's coaching pedigree though. What was Tabua's coaching history before RWC2007? Pretty much the same as Domoni's I think you'll find,
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
and if they do qualify, they will be put in possibly the hardest pool come 2015. Samoa went through qualifiers to make the 2011 RWC and they get put in the hardest pool of all, and Fiji which was an automatic qualifier didn't make much use of their chances did they?
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
Just note one mistake to the article, Sam Domoni and Dan Domoni are NOT BROTHERS
chochie
Guest
Fiji plays dumb rugby
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
Nukkers/ Naqelevuki is one of the star players in the Aviva Premiership the last 2 seasons The Stormers made the mistake by playing him on the wings, he was always a CENTRE and nothing else. He has been playing well at 12/13 for Exeter. Napolioni Nalaga is fiji's form backline player., possibly the best defensive winger at the rugby world cup. Timoci Nagusa had his chance, was not at all impressive. Even an aging Bobo and Delasau had more "oomph" than the whole backline combined. Nacewa's intentions are well noted, he is still bitter about not being able to play for the ALL BLACKS as his 2 minutes "cameo" for fiji against Scotland in the 2003RWC destroyed any chance he had of being an All Black.
Vhavnal
Roar Rookie
@Kovana, this year, yes against a Samoan, B team but last year they were well and truly beaten. The article is based on Fiji's performance in the last 18 months (March 2010 onwards), ironically the same time the new coach was selected.