The Fiji Airways Fijiana team faced a challenging start in the Singapore Sevens tournament, suffering a 7-35 defeat against Australia in their opening match. Reapi Ulunisau was the sole scorer for Fiji, notching a try in the first half as the team trailed 7-21 at halftime.
Head coach Richard Walker expressed disappointment over the team’s performance, citing mistakes that proved costly against a quick and skilled Australian side. “We made a couple of mistakes, and that cost us. We can’t afford errors like that against a fast team like Australia,” Walker acknowledged. He emphasized the importance of the upcoming matches, noting that Fiji must secure victories in their next two pool games to maintain hopes of reaching the semi-finals.
Walker also highlighted the competitiveness of the other teams in their pool. “Very tough teams. I saw Japan take a 17-nil lead against USA. USA came back and scored 24 unanswered points to take the game,” he said, reflecting on the unpredictable nature of the tournament.
In a silver lining for the team, Fijiana XV captain Alfreda Fisher made her debut in the 7s format during the match against Australia, stepping onto the field for the final minutes of play, marking a significant milestone in her rugby career.
Fijiana’s spirit remains unbroken as they prepare to face the USA and Japan in their next pool matches, determined to secure wins that could propel them to the next round of the competition.