Dubai Sevens champions Fiji started their quest for another title triumph on the HSBC SVNS Series with a staggering 70-7 win over a newly promoted Uruguay outfit. The Uruguayans were never in the fight as their heavyweight rivals landed a series of powerful blows in Cape Town.
Fiji brought an end to their long streak of more than 20 SVNS Series events without Cup Final glory at the season-opening event in the UAE earlier this month. They dominated Argentina in the semi-finals of that competition before beating giant-slayers Spain in the big dance.
Rio Olympics gold medallist Osea Kolinisau has helped transform the Fijians from pretenders last season into genuine contenders this time around. The coach has a world-class player pool to choose from, and those selected to represent the rugby sevens-mad nation have stood tall.
At the second stop of the 2024/25 season in Cape Town, Fiji were drawn in Pool A along with Uruguay and Great Britain. This competition introduced a new format to the SVNS Series, with the top ranked sides in each of the four pools qualifying for the semi-finals.
Every match is a must-win game and the Fijians certainly brought that sense of urgency to the fore in their first pool clash with the South Americans. It was an utterly dominant victory in the end, with the SVNS Series sharing an almost four minute highlights package online.
Fiji set #HSBCSVNSCPT on fire🔥#HSBCSVNS | @fijirugby pic.twitter.com/QZDNW8oAiB
— HSBC SVNS (@SVNSSeries) December 7, 2024
Filipe Sauturaga scored a rapid double inside the opening three minutes, and Joji Nasova also crossed for a five-pointer as Fiji took control 21-nil. Mateo Vinals was next to score for Uruguay in the fourth minute, but it was one-way traffic during a history-making win at DHL Stadium.
Kavekini Tanivanuakula, Pilipo Bukayaro, Viwa Naduvalo (double), Suli Volivolituevei, Ikikimi Vunaki and Terio Veilawa helped pile on the points. Nasova, Iowane Teba, and Veilawa also converted one shot at goal during the 63-point win.
Fiji ‘won’ the second half 35-nil. In a 14-minute game of sevens, it’s mesmerising to see a team hit the 70-point mark against one of the other top 12 teams in the world, but that just goes to show the Fijians are the real deal on the SVNS Series this season.
But the semi-finals were almost out of reach, having been locked in a tense battle with GB in a decider to determine which side made it through to the final four. Sevuloni Mocenacagi crossed for the opener in the fifth minute and Fiji scored again after that.
It was 10-nil at the half-time break, but Harry Glover and Ethan Waddleton ensured the match would come down to the wire after scoring a try each for the Brits. Will Homer actually put GB into the lead with a successful conversion attempt in the 10th minute.
Fiji had the last laugh, though, with Terio Veilawa scoring a try and converting it to give the side a hard-fought 17-12 lead. That’s how the scores stayed through to the end of the contest as they booked their spot in the semi-finals for the second event in a row.
On day two, Fiji will take on defending SVNS Series champions France in the men’s Cup semi-finals at 12:18 pm (Fiji time) on Monday morning. Spain will take on tournament hosts South Africa in the other battle to determine the two finalists.
