Fidjiana has top eight in sights for Dubai

SPOTLIGHT: The Fijiana 7s team to Dubai is expected to be named on Thursday, and many new players are expected to don the white jersey for the first time.

The current side has only three returning players, with the rest being newbies.

The Fijiana 7s interim coach Jim Volavola is focused on keeping the team in the top eight as they head into the Dubai leg of the World Rugby Sevens Series.

The Dubai 7s will be held from Saturday, 30 November to December 2.

With several players making their debut in the tournament, Volavola emphasizes the need for resilience and preparation as the team is in a challenging pool with Australia, China and Ireland.

“My first goal now is to try to maintain the top eight for the core team.

"Since most of the girls will be in their first major tournament, I will drive them to work hard so we can stay on the core team, on the top eight.”

Volavola acknowledges the teams they’ll face are some of the strongest in international women’s sevens but remains confident in the Fijiana 7s’ potential.

Livia Naidei, one of the new faces in the squad, says she is confident in the team’s preparation for the upcoming Dubai 7s and the players are aware of the responsibility they carry when they step onto the field.

Naidei was also part of the Fijian Drua Women from 2022 to 2023.

The Fijiana 7s side departs for Dubai this weekend.

The Pacific women made history at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, proving that women and girls across the region have what it takes to compete against the world’s best and win.

The Fijiana Rugby 7s won bronze and in doing so, achieved the first ever medal for a Pacific women’s team competing at the Olympics.

The national side defeated Great Britain 21-12 at Tokyo Stadium to win their first-ever medal at an Olympic Games.

They defeated 2016 bronze medallists Canada in their second match and knocked out 2016 Rio gold medallists Australia in the quarterfinals.

They follow in the footsteps of the Fiji men's 7s team which won two gold medals - the first in Rio in 2016 and the second in Tokyo.