Flying Fijians and Black Ferns power their way to win HSBC SVNS Singapore titles

SINGAPORE – As Rauto Vakadranu soared through the air to score a spectacular try, sealing a 21-12 victory over Kenya in the HSBC SVNS Singapore men’s cup final on April 6, he also delivered a powerful statement to the rugby sevens world: The flying Fijians are back.

Fiji forward Tira Wilagi told The Straits Times: “Sevens is a game of opportunity. We passed up on a lot of opportunities and it’s a long way back because we had a lot of struggles. But we are so happy to win again.”

Winners of Olympic gold at both Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020, the Pacific islanders have experienced a dip in form in recent years, by their own lofty standards.

Fiji’s rugby sevens team have faced setbacks lately: no World Series title since 2019, no tournament wins in the 2023-24 HSBC SVNS season, the dismissal of English coach Ben Gollings, and the end of a 17-match winning streak with a loss to France in the Paris Olympic final. But this past weekend, they reminded everyone of their winning ability, displaying their trademark attacking power, dynamic ball carrying, and unpredictable passing.

Despite the festival vibe and 40,000 costumed fans across two days at the National Stadium, Fiji stayed focused and determined. They dominated Pool D, crushing the US 38-0 and beating holders New Zealand 36-5 on April 5. On April 6, they continued their strong run with a 33-24 semi-final win over league leaders Argentina.

Kenya, as underdogs, posed a surprising challenge after topping Pool B with wins over Ireland (17-7) and Olympic champions France (10-7) on April 5.

After defeating Spain 12-5 on April 6, they faced Fiji in a rematch of the 2016 Singapore final – where Kenya had claimed their only major sevens title with a 30-7 victory.

Their strong defence contained their prestigious opponents, and Nygel Amaitsa’s converted try from Vincent Onyala’s kick gave them a hopeful 7-0 lead at half-time.

After Fiji shifted into a higher gear in the second half, they became an unstoppable force. Player of the Final Viwa Naduvalo crossed the line twice, followed by Vakadranu’s remarkable score.

William Indakalu managed a try in the final minute for Kenya, but it served only as a consolation as Fiji secured their second tournament victory of the series, following their triumph in the Dubai opener.

Fiji coach and 2016 Olympic champion Osea Kolinisau wanted his team to learn from the pressure-cooker situation to create a new dynasty. He said: “We want to be consistent and we haven’t been consistent enough in the way we play. We want to give the boys ownership of the team, and get them to know that they can trust in that process when pressure comes.

“I’ve always told the boys, you can win games with attack but defence wins you championships. Fiji is known as a team that can attack and I want us to be known as a team that can defend as well.

“That’s something we want to build upon and make sure we get sharper on. We are not there yet. We’re just scratching the surface.”

With France and Argentina, who beat Spain 33-14 in the third-place play-off, establishing themselves as the new sevens powerhouses in recent years, Wilagi hopes his team can kick on and get back to the top of the game. He said: “We have ended the regular season on a high. We will go back home, recover and regroup, and see if we can carry that momentum to LA.”

Before the Singapore leg, the top eight men’s teams – Argentina, Fiji, Spain, South Africa, France, Australia, New Zealand and Britain – had booked their places in the May 3-4 Grand Final in Los Angeles.

That means Kenya, Uruguay, Ireland and US will have to face off against the top four teams from the challenger series to decide the four teams who will feature in the HSBC SVNS next season.

In the women’s competition, New Zealand, Australia, France, Canada, Japan, US, Fiji and Britain have qualified for the Grand Final, while Brazil, China, Ireland and Spain will compete in the relegation play-offs.

The Kiwis capped a brilliant season with their fourth title in six stops – they lost the Dubai and Perth finals to Australia – by overpowering the Aussies 31-7 to retain their Singapore crown and take their winning streak in the Republic to 10 matches. Canada beat France 21-5 to finish third.

In the final, two-time Olympic champion Michaela Brake accelerated past Australia’s defence as early as the second minute before Player of the Final Risi Pouri-Lane extended the Black Ferns’ lead. A defensive lapse allowed Maddison Levi to reduce Australia’s deficit to 12-7, but Jazmin Felix-Hotham, Kelsey Teneti and Brake ensured New Zealand’s win.

After performing the haka with her team, Brake, who took her sevens try-scoring record to 281, told ST: “We hate losing even to each other, so we’re very competitive at home, but in a loving way, and we don’t let each other off easy. So when it comes to training, it’s almost like we’re playing against another country.

“In every training, we try to continue that pressure and competition, and so when it comes to playing in the world series, we can bring that same competitive nature against other countries.”