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Ex-World Rugby Sevens POTY nominee headlines Fijiana 7s squad
By Finn Morton
Fiji Rugby have unveiled the 21-player extended squad for the women’s sevens side ahead of the 2025/26 HSBC SVNS Series season, which gets underway at the end of next month with the traditional season opener in Dubai.
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2024 World Rugby Sevens Player of the Year nominee Reapi Ulunisau headlines a strong Fijiana squad that includes another seven players who represented the national side at the Paris Olympic Games 15 months ago.
Verenaisi Ditavutu, Sesenieli Donu, Vika Nakacia, Ana Naimasi, Adi Vani Buleki, Lavena Cavuru, Ilisapeci Delaiwau and Ulunisau were all selected to compete at Stade de France, with Fiji placing last in a tough pool that featured eventual finalists New Zealand and Canada.
On the SVNS Series last season, Fiji secured a fifth-place finish at the World Championship at Los Angeles’ Dignity Health Sports Park. They defeated Japan 46-29 in their final match of the season, placing above the likes of France and Great Britain.
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Fijiana’s best performance of the season was in Vancouver, where they finished as the tournament runners-up behind eventual SVNS Series champions New Zealand. They defeated Brazil 46-0 and Japan 28-7 to book their place in the big dance.
Fiji Rugby confirmed last week that the women’s squad have begun their pre-season training ahead of the new campaign. They took on the NPU Men’s team last week, as they continue to work towards the Dubai Sevens on November 29-30.
“Both our men’s and women’s teams are already in camp preparing, and they’ll head to Dubai a week before the competition to acclimatise and get ready for the tournament,” Fiji Rugby Union Acting Chief Executive Koli Sewabu said, as reported by FBC News.
World Rugby revealed the full 2025 SVNS Series season schedule on September 1. The new campaign begins in Dubai before a stop in Cape Town, South Africa, the following weekend on December 6-7.
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Singapore is the third destination of the season on January 31 to February 1. Australia, Vancouver and the USA – exact locations for events in Australia and the USA are yet to be announced – will also host regular season tournaments.
As part of the new SVNS Series format, Hong Kong China will host the first of three World Championships legs on April 17-19. The SVNS Series will then head to Valladolid, Spain, on May 29-31, before the season finale in Bordeaux, France, on June 5-7.
Fijiana extended squad for 2025/26 HSBC SVNS Series season
Lavena Cavuru, Sesenieli Donu, Ana Naimasi, Adimereani Rogosau, Ilisapeci Delaiwau, Mere Vocevoce, Sera Bolatini, Silika Qalo, Vika Nakacia, Kelera Luvu, Milika Drugunavanua, Michell Seruvatu, Mere Navue, Verenaisi Ditavutu, Mereula Torooti, Adita Milinia, Reapi Ulunisau, Varasika Tukana, Losana Kuruibua, Atelaite Ralivanawa, Vani Buleki
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