Fiji rises to the top of the World Rugby Women’s Ranking for the first time.
Six days after Fijiana was defeated 24–15 by Japan in Suva, they turned the tables on Thursday in the Lautoka rematch to level the two-test series at one.
They will now have 61.19 points, which puts them above a dormant Russia, thanks to the 1.75 points they earned in victory.
After resolving the disciplinary concerns that hindered them in the first match, Moses Rauluni’s team pulled off a remarkable turnaround to defeat Japan for the first time in five attempts.
In front of a sizable crowd of 3,000 at Churchill Park, Fiji scored tries from Repeka Tove and Merewairita Neivosa, and a conversion from Luisa Tisolo propelled the team into a 12-0 lead in a matter of minutes.
Japan briefly re-entered the game after Iroha Nagata’s converted try, but Fijiana led 17–7 at the interval after Neivoa’s second score.
Ayasa Otsuka’s penalty for Japan in the 54th minute was the lone goal in the third quarter, with the second half being considerably more evenly balanced.
However, Unaisi Lalabalavu, the replacement hooker, surged ahead of schedule by more than 13 minutes, and with Tisolo’s conversion, Fijiana gained some breathing room.
It was too late to change the result when Japan’s captain Nagata scored her second try of the game on minute 77.
In addition to raising their ranking, Fijiana’s historic win helped them grow as a team and get closer to their second trip in the Women’s Rugby World Cup in England in 2025.
