Five teams books place in NCC play-offs – FBC News
Source : FFA / Facebook Five teams have booked their spots in the final play-off stage of the Dayal’s Sawmillers National Club Championship, with one Southern Zone place to be decided this afternoon. In the Southern Zone, Friends United FC topped Group A after a 7-1 win over Lami Rangers FC and a draw with Combine Brothers FC. Combine Verata FC won Group B with a 5-0 victory over Police FC and a 6-0 win against League FC. Article continues after advertisement Combine Brothers remain in contention after earning four points from their win over Lami Rangers and their draw with Friends United. In the Western Zone, Lautoka’s Ray United FC and Ba’s 4R FC advanced following strong outings at the Fiji FA Academy in Ba. Ray United finished unbeaten with two wins and a draw, while 4R FC secured six points, highlighted by a 5-1 win over Delta Army FC. Defending champions Northpole FC of Labasa progressed from the Northern Zone, keeping their title defence alive. The final Southern Zone berth will be decided at 3pm today when Combine Brothers FC meet Police FC, with the winner claiming the last spot. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Fiji claim Cape Town Sevens bronze – FBC News
[ Source: Fiji Rugby / Facebook ] Fiji capped off their Cape Town Sevens campaign in style, defeating France 26–19 to secure third place in the men’s competition. In a fast-paced playoff clash, the sides were locked 14–14 at halftime before Fiji’s precision and pace proved decisive in the second spell. Terio Veilawa sparked the comeback with a converted try early on, followed quickly by scores from Viwa Naduvalo, Sevuloni Mocenacagi and Manueli Maisamoa as Fiji built an unassailable lead. Article continues after advertisement France had earlier struck through Andy Timo, Liam Delamare and Simon Desert, but were unable to contain Fiji’s attacking surge. Accurate goal kicking from Veilawa and Sakiusa Siqila ensured Fiji kept control of the scoreboard, closing out a confident performance that delivers valuable momentum heading into the next leg of the HSBC SVNS series. Meanwhile South Africa successfully defended their title after beating Argentina 21-19 in the final. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Former sprint king leads new off-Season program for QVS – FBC News
[File Photo] Queen Victoria School is set to break new ground in its athletics preparation as it rolls out its first structured off-season training program. The initiative marks a major shift for the school, which has consistently placed in the top ranks at the Coca-Cola Games despite operating without a formal pre-season system. Now, with 2026 preparations underway, QVS aims to lift its performance standards even higher. Article continues after advertisement Former South Pacific sprint king and current QVS sprint coach Banuve Tabakaucoro says the change is long overdue. “I’ve been involved with QVS Athletics just this season, so this year we didn’t really run an off-season programme, but building into 2026, the school and the management and also the QVS taskforce have decided that we’re going to do something a bit different this year, something that’s never been done before for QVS Athletics, which is to run an off-season programme.” Tabakaucoro says QVS has long punched above its weight, regularly finishing in the top three or five at the Coca-Cola Games without the benefit of structured early preparation. He believes the new programme will give athletes a stronger foundation and elevate the school’s competitiveness next season. “Over the years, we’ve always seen QVS in the top three or top five at the Coca Cola Games without running proper off-season programmes, so this will give us a better opportunity moving into the season next year and just get the boys a lot more prepared.” The former sprint star says the goal is to instil long-term discipline and build athletes the right way. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Fiji fall short yet again – FBC News
[Photo Credit: Fiji Rugby] The Fiji Airways Fiji men’s 7s hopes of reaching the Cape Town Sevens final were dashed after a 29–21 defeat to Argentina in a high-intensity semifinal. Argentina dominated the first half, racing to a 17–0 lead through tries to Santiago Mare (2’, 13’), Santiago Alvarez (3’, 6’) and Luciano Gonzalez (10’), with conversions from Santiago Vera Feld and Mare. Fiji mounted a strong second-half response, with Viwa Naduvalo crossing twice (12’, 14’) and Manulii Maisamoa adding another (15’). Article continues after advertisement Sakiusa Siqila converted two of Fiji’s tries to close the gap. Despite Argentina going a player down, Fiji were unable to capitalise during the sin-bin period, with handling errors proving costly in key moments. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Fiji to face familiar foe in cup semi-final – FBC News
[Photo Credit: Fiji IRugby] The Fiji Airways Fiji men’s 7s side will meet Argentina in the Cape Town semi-finals, a favourable matchup on paper after the Fijians comfortably defeated the South Americans in the Dubai pool stage just a week ago. The draw was sealed following a dramatic final round of pool play that reshuffled the tournament landscape and upended several heavyweights. In the men’s competition, newly crowned Dubai champions New Zealand and finalists Australia both crashed out of semi-final contention, with the demands of the revamped HSBC SVNS format showing its impact on squad depth and consistency. Article continues after advertisement Defending Cape Town champions South Africa, meanwhile, powered through unbeaten, winning all three matches to secure their place in the last four. They will face France in today’s cup semi-final. The opposite half of the draw produced the biggest twist. A much-improved Spain were moments away from a historic semi-final berth, but a late try conceded against a resurgent Argentina handed Los Pumas Sevens a crucial bonus point. That single moment pushed Argentina to the top of the pool standings and locked in their semi-final against Fiji. France did enough to claim second place in the group, leaving last season’s Grand Final runners-up on track for yet another minor-placings finish. Fiji head into the knockout match with confidence after their strong 35–5 statement win over New Zealand, and the knowledge that they outclassed Argentina just days ago. They take on Argentina at 10.44 pm tonight, and it will air LIVE on FBC TV. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Flying Fijians target big impact in 2027 – FBC News
[File Photo] Fiji Water Flying Fijians coach Mick Byrne says the 2027 Rugby World Cup in Australia will offer Fiji a rare chance to test themselves against unfamiliar opponents on the biggest stage. He says the tournament’s format and the calibre of teams involved will demand sharp week-to-week preparation. Byrne adds that Fiji is already embracing the excitement of competing in front of massive Pacific support in Australia. Article continues after advertisement “Being a Rugby World Cup, great opportunity to go in there. You don’t know who your next opponent’s going to be once you get out of the pools.” He says the long, seven-match campaign will be a true test of depth and endurance, but also a chance to face teams Fiji rarely meets. Byrne highlighted Argentina as one of those teams, noting Fiji last played them in 2003. The coach says having the tournament in Australia will give Fiji a huge advantage, with strong local fan bases expected to turn stadiums into “home” venues. He says they are now waiting for the official match schedules early next year before finalising base locations and community engagement plans. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Drua tickets to be available from tomorrow – FBC News
The Swire Shipping Fijian Drua have officially confirmed ticket details for their seven home matches in the 2026 Shop N Save Super Rugby Pacific season, with prices again tailored to remain accessible for fans across the country. The club has also revealed that Ba’s 4R Stadium will host its first-ever Super Rugby match when the Drua face the Brumbies in March. Tickets go on sale tomorrow, with the Drua Head of Sales, Josefa Vanuaca encouraging fans to lock in seats early ahead of a historic season. Article continues after advertisement “Super Rugby tickets for the Fijian Drua home games. We have seven home games in Fiji. The first game is happening on February 14th. You can have your Valentine’s Day in Lautoka.” He confirmed that the season opener against Moana Pasifika in Lautoka is among the key fixtures, while the club’s debut in Ba, hosting the Brumbies on March 14 is expected to be another major highlight. Vanuaca said tickets will be available online from December 8 through flikr.io and via the Drua’s official website. “Our first game against Moana Pasifika… The other game to look out for is our first game ever in 4R Stadium in Ba. Tickets are as low as $10.” Vanuaca added that pricing across venues remains unchanged from previous seasons, with Lautoka and Suva ranging from $20 for ground entry up to $180 for premium seating. Ba, however, offers a fully grandstand-only experience at some of the most affordable prices in Super Rugby. “In Ba, it’s all on the grandstand. We’re starting from $10… It’s the cheapest you can find in Super Rugby.” The Drua will host four matches in Lautoka, two in Ba, and one in Suva as they prepare for their home schedule. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Fiji 7s set for key showdowns in Cape Town – FBC News
[Photo Credit: Fiji Rugby] The Fiji Airways Men’s and Fijiana 7s sides have wrapped up their pool matches in Cape Town, producing mixed results as the tournament enters its final day. The men bounced back from an opening loss to secure two crucial wins, while the Fijiana fell just short of a semifinal berth despite a dominant performance against Great Britain. The Fiji Men’s 7s side began with a narrow 21–24 loss to South Africa before regrouping to beat Great Britain 21–17. Article continues after advertisement They then delivered their most commanding performance of the day, crushing New Zealand 35–5 to storm into the Cup semifinal. Fiji will now face Argentina at 10.44pm tonight for a place in the final. The Fijiana 7s opened their campaign with a 7–15 loss to the USA but responded emphatically with a 40–0 demolition of Great Britain. However, a 7–19 defeat to New Zealand ended their Cup semifinal hopes. They will now meet Canada at 8pm in the classification playoffs. Both teams will be looking to finish strongly as Fiji continues its hunt for Cape Town silverware. You can watch Fiji’s games on day 2 live on FBC TV. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Byrne welcomes Nations Cup timing ahead of 2027 World Cup – FBC News
Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne says Fiji’s preparations for the 2027 Rugby World Cup remain firmly on course despite the release of the pool draw, emphasising that the long-term strategy is unchanged. With a demanding campaign ahead and a World Cup format that will likely pit Fiji against top-tier opponents early in the knockout rounds, Byrne believes next year’s Nations Cup could not be better timed. He says the tournament will offer Fiji rare and valuable match-ups against northern hemisphere sides they seldom face, giving the Flying Fijians a clearer gauge of what awaits them in Australia. Article continues after advertisement “Plans don’t change. We’ve got a big year coming up in the Nations Cup,” Byrne said, noting that the confirmed World Cup pool only reinforces the importance of Fiji’s 2025 fixtures. He explained that, based on the structure of the World Cup, Fiji’s most likely quarterfinal opponents will come from the Six Nations, France, Scotland, or Ireland depending on how pool and Round of 16 results unfold. Byrne added that the Nations Cup offers a crucial opportunity to analyse those teams in real time, rather than relying on limited past encounters. “Obviously they get a chance to look at us, but more importantly, we get a chance to look at opposition that we don’t get a lot of chances to play.” With Fiji set for one of their most strategically aligned build-ups in recent years, Byrne remains confident the team will enter 2027 with the tools, exposure, and preparation needed to compete deep into the tournament. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.
Hill loses by technical knockout – FBC News
[Source: The Sports News Australia/Facebook] Winston Hill suffered the first loss of his professional boxing career after being defeated by Australia’s Ben Mahoney in the IBF Pan Pacific Super Welterweight Title bout this evening. Hill was stopped in the sixth round following a barrage of heavy punches, with the referee stepping in to halt the fight. With this victory, Mahoney improves his record to 16 wins, nine of which have come by knockout. Article continues after advertisement Winston Hill (left), Ben Mahoney (right) [Source: Australian Boxing Central/Facebook] Despite the defeat, Hill remains proud of his performance, having gone the full six rounds with one of the best boxers in Australia’s super welterweight division. Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.