FIJI RUGBY LEAGUE NATION OVERVIEW
This page was last updated – 14/3/14
Foundation Year – 1992
International Team – The Bati
Highest finish in World Cup – Semi Final (2008)
Top level domestic competition – The Fiji National Rugby League starts in April and is broken up into two conferences, East & West with 12 teams in total. Once the Grand Final is played a Super 6 competition takes place comprising of the best players from the FNRL. In September a State of Origin type competition is played with East against West.
History – The history of Fijian’s playing rugby league can be traced back to the 1960’s when the UK based Rochdale Hornets signed Orisi Dawai and Joe Levula. Fiji’s first major involvement with “rakavi saumi” or rugby league as we know it was via the 1992 Nissan World 7’s. It nearly didn’t happen as Rugby Union officials in Fiji imposed life bans on players switching to league. In Fiji’s first game, they defeated a star-studded Canberra line-up that included the likes of Laurie Daley and Mal Meninga.
Fiji’s first 13 a side tournament was the Pacific Cup against other pacific nations. Fiji have been involved in every Pacific Cup since.
In 1995 Fiji took part in the Rugby League World Cup for the first time. Fiji drew in the same pool as Australia and England and finished 3rd winning against South Africa.
Fiji were again involved in the 2000 Rugby League World Cup. It was deja vu as Fiji once again joined Australia and England in the same pool. Lote Tuquri was captain of the Fijian team during the 2000 tournament. As per the 1995 World Cup Fiji finished 3rd in the Pool beating Russia.
In 2006 Fiji became the 2nd team to qualify for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup. Fiji were grouped with France and Scotland for the Pool rounds. What was to unfold during the World Cup would be one of the success stories of the tournament. Fiji were not tipped to make it out of the Pool rounds.
In their first match they smashed favourites France 42 – 6. A week later they narrowly went down to Scotland by 2 points 16 – 18. Based on for and against Fiji finished top of their Pool and booked a place in the qualifying semi-finals against the other World Cup success story Ireland. Fiji and Ireland battled it out in the first half but the size and strength of the Fijian’s prevailed in the 2nd half. In the end Fiji continued their dream run and booked a place in the nations first ever semi-final against champions Australia.
Leading into the game some experts were giving Fiji a 100 plus start. In the end the Fijian’s went down to Australia 52 – 0. The score did not indicate the effort Fiji put into the game. At stages they had Australia on the back foot but could not get over the line when it counted. When the players returned to Fiji they were greeted as hero’s by thousands of fans.
Post World Cup the popularity of rugby league in Fiji has exploded. Local Fijian media have increased reports on local rugby league developments. Two new rugby league team’s entered the Fijian National Rugby League in 2009. Their has been a big uptake by secondary school’s fielding league teams. With the new found popularity for league in Fiji, it is only a matter of time before they come knocking on Australia’s door for a rematch.
In 2009 Fiji were ranked 4th in World seedings by the Rugby League International Federation (RLIF). This is the highest ranking Fiji has ever been awarded and is mainly due to their semi final showing in the World Cup.
In 2009 Fiji took part in the Pacific Cup competition. Going into the tournament on the back of their successful World Cup campaign everyone though Fiji would be one of the team to contest the final. It wasn’t to be as they were defeated by the Cook Islands 24 – 22 in the first week of the tournament. They restored some pride a week later by defeating Tonga 26 – 16 in a play-off for 3rd place.
Fiji go into the 2013 Rugby League World Cup (RLWC) looking to do one better then their 2008 RLWC semi-final finish. Placed in Group A, Fiji will open their World cup campaign against Ireland at Spotland Stadium, Rochdale, England on October the 28th (Monday). On November the 2nd (Saturday) Fiji will take on Australia at Langtree Park, St Helens, England. The Fiji Bati’s final group match will see them take on World Cup hosts England at KC Stadium, Hull in England on November 9th (Saturday).
For the latest 2013 RLWC match information and results for Fiji Bati visit our 2013RLWC page and click here
Dear Readers, If you have first hand knowledge of the current Rugby League situation in Fiji we would love to hear from you. Please email us at: webmaster@rugbyleagueplanet.com or join our international rugby league Forums at http://forums.rugbyleagueplanet.com and let us all know what’s going on in your part of the world.
FIJI INTERNATIONAL RUGBY LEAGUE RESULTS
2015 Rugby League Results
May 2nd Papua New Guinea 10 v Fiji 22, Gold Coast (Pacific Test)
2014 Rugby League Results
Oct 19th Lebanon 28 v Fiji 40, Cronulla (Hayne/Mannah Cup)
May 3rd Fiji 16 v Samoa 32, Penrith (4 Nations play-off)
2013 Rugby League Results
Nov 23rd 3.30pm Australia 64 v Fiji 0 (World Cup SF 2)
Nov 17th 3.00pm Samoa 4 v Fiji 22 (World Cup QF 4)
Nov 9th 2.30pm England 34 v Fiji 12 (World Cup)
Nov 2nd 8.00pm Australia 34 v Fiji 2 (World Cup)
Oct 28th 8.00pm Fiji 32 v Ireland 14 (World Cup)
Oct 19th Fiji 78 – Rochdale Hornets 0 (RLWC warm-up match)
2012 Rugby League Results
Oct 12th Italy XIII 18 – Fiji XIII 22
2011 Rugby League Results
Nov 6th Papua New Guinea 26 – Fiji 0 (Test Match)
Oct 30th Papua New Guinea 12 – Fiji 26 (Test Match)
2009 Rugby League Results
Oct 31st Fiji 26 – Tonga 16 (Pacific Cup Ranking)
Oct 24th Cook Islands 24 – Fiji 22 (Pacific Cup)
Jul 25th Papua New Guinea 14 – Fiji 2 (Hardware Haus Cup)
Jul 22nd Papua New Guinea 54 – Fiji 10 (Hardware Haus Cup)
Jul 1st Fiji 30 – BARLA 26
Jun 27th Fiji 18 – BARLA 16
2008 Rugby League Results
Nov 16th Australia 52 – Fiji 0 (World Cup Semi Final)
Nov 10th Fiji 30 – Ireland 14 (World Cup Qualifying Semi Final)
Nov 5th Scotland 18 – Fiji 16 (World Cup)
Nov 1st Fiji 42 – France 6 (World Cup)
June 17th Fiji 26 – Australian Affiliated States 22
2007 Rugby League Results
Oct 19th Tonga 14 – Fiji 12
Oct 5th Junior Kangaroos 15 – Fiji 14
2006 Rugby League Results
Oct 7th Fiji 40 – Cook Islands 6 (World Cup Qualifier)
Oct 4th Fiji 30 – Tonga 28 (World Cup Qualifier)
Sep 29th Samoa 30 – Fiji 28 (World Cup Qualifier)
Mar 5th Tonga 22 – Fiji 4 (Pacific Cup Final)
Fiji 40 – Cook Islands 18
Feb 23rd Fiji 26 – Samoa 4
2005 Rugby League Results
Feb Cook Islands 20 – Fiji 20
2004 Rugby League Results
Oct 23rd Fiji 34 – Niue 24
Oct 21st Cook Islands 20 – Fiji 12
Oct 17th Tonga 56 – Fiji 6
Aug 27th Cook Islands 22 – Fiji 14
Aug 17th Cook Islands 36 – Fiji 24
2002 Rugby League Results
Nov 11th Fiji 44 – England A 8
2000 Rugby League Results
Nov 4th England 66 – Fiji 4 (World Cup)
Nov 1st Australia 66 – Fiji 8 (World Cup)
Oct 29th Fiji 38 – Russia 12 (World Cup)
Jun 3rd Fiji 10 – Tonga 6
May 22nd Tonga 23 – Fiji 20
Apr 22nd Maori 70 – Fiji 0
Apr 22nd Maori 28 – Fiji 12
Apr 22nd Maori 44 – Fiji 14
1999 Rugby League Results
Fiji 30 – Samoa 4
Fiji 22 – Samoa 16
Samoa 6 – Fiji 1
1998 Rugby League Results
Papua New Guinea 16 – Fiji 14
Papua New Guinea 34 – Fiji 12
Fiji 14 – Papua New Guinea 10
Fiji 14 – Papua New Guinea 10
Fiji 22 – Tonga 14
1997 Rugby League Results
Cook Islands 22 – Fiji 14
Maori 32 – Fiji 22
Tonga 14 – Fiji 14
Tonga 22 – Fiji 22
1996 Rugby League Results
Great Britian 72 – Fiji 4
Fiji 14 – Cook Islands 8
Jul 12th Australia 84 – Fiji 14
1995 Rugby League Results
Oct 14th Australia 66 – Fiji 0 (World Cup)
Oct 11th England 46 – Fiji 0 (World Cup)
Oct 8th Fiji 52 – South Africa 6 (World Cup)
1994 Rugby League Results
Jul 9th Fiji 20 – France 12
1993 Rugby League Results
Papua New Guinea 35 – Fiji 24
1992 Rugby League Results
Fiji 54 – Cook Islands 6
Tonga 23 – Fiji 20
Niue 14 – Fiji 10
Western Samoa 32 – Fiji 18
