Fijiana 7s Head Coach Saiasi Fuli has called up Aloesi Nakoci who joins 12 players who were part of the team that won silver for Fiji at the recent Commonwealth Games for the Rugby World Cup outing in Cape Town, South Africa next month.
She joins the team after missing the Commonwealth Games campaign earlier this month because of injury.
Nakoci returns to a team that features nine familiar faces, including captain Rusila Nagasau, from the Fijiana outfit that won bronze at the Tokyo Olympics in July last year.
Of the squad, Nagasau and winger Lavenia Tinai, who was one of the standouts for Suva in the local women’s rugby provincial competition this season, have RWC experience, having played in the last world cup extravaganza in San Francisco four years ago.
Vani Buleki, Verenaisi Bari, and Laisani Moceisawana who made their debut this year are also back in the mix after impressing at the Commonwealth Games.
“It’s a knockout format and every game is a final which is interesting and different from the series and Commonwealth Games but we have to train the different scenarios and always expect the unexpected,” said Fuli.
The RWC 7s is scheduled for 9-11 September with the Black Ferns regarded favourites as the reigning champs.
The Fijiana 7s will play Japan in their opening match at 11.17 pm on Friday, 9 September.
Fijiana 7s Team to Rugby World Cup
- Rusila Nagasau (C)
- Rejieli Daveua
- Vani Buleki
- Vasiti Solikoviti
- Verenaisi Bari
- Lavena Cavuru
- Reapi Uluinasau
- Viniana Riwai
- Sesenieli Donu
- Ana Naimasi
- Aloesi Nakoci
- Laisani Moceisawana
- Lavenia Tinai
Photo: File
