Latest news with #HFCBankStadium
RNZ News
6 days ago
- Sport
- RNZ News
Flying Fijians topple Scotland in front of home crowd
Fiji's Jiuta Wainiqolo (L) runs the ball towards the try line during the rugby Test match between Fiji and Scotland at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva on July 12, 2025. Photo: AFP / Josua Buredua Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne says the 29-14 win against Scotland on Saturday was a result of hard work. Byrne made the comments after the one-off Test match at the National Stadium in Suva. With over 10,000 fans in attendance, including Fijian Prime Minister Sitiveni Rabuka, Fiji turned the pressure on midway into the first half and continued that in the second spell to claim the win and avenge last year's loss in Scotland. "Really pleased for our players," the former Scotland assistant coach said. "The amount of work they put in in such a short period of time and they got the result today." Captain Tevita Ikanivere paid tribute to the players, who fought until the last whistle to secure the win. He said the disappointing three points loss to the Wallabies the weekend before was something that the team had at the back of their mind, as they took on the touring Scottish side at Laucala. "Thank the brothers for giving their all today," he said. "Hard fought battle. I thank the Scottish team for coming down to Fiji, the only Tier One nation that has come down to play us." Scotland coach Gregory Townsend said the Fijians were better and he was disappointed for the loss. "Fiji deserved to win. Disappointed for the overall performance, disappointed that we didn't work on the good start we had." Scotland had taken an early lead but they were down 15-7 at halftime. Fullback Kyle Rowe crossed the Fiji tryline three minutes into the game, and after messing up near the visitors' tryline the Fijians managed to get points on the board through the boots of flyhalf Caleb Muntz. Skipper Ikanivere added more points through a try from a rare driving maul in the 36th minute, before winger Kalaveti Ravouravou finished off a backline movement when he ran untouched from a Salesi Rayasi pass. In the second half, Scotland scored first again, through inside centre Tom Jordan, after the visitors had broken through midfield and quick recycling of the ball saw Jordan go over. France-based Jiuta Wainiqolo then broke through to score in the 60th minute, having received and inside pass from Muntz. Then a penalty try was awarded to the Fijians after Scottish winger Darcy Graham was ruled offside, and interfering with the ball, when the Fijian backline had spun the ball wide, with two players on the outside two metres from the tryline. Graham was red carded, having received an earlier yellow card in the game, and Scotland were on the receiving end of a penalty try to their hosts. And as the last seconds ticked away the Fijians were stopped short again, number eight Elia Canakaivata held up on the line as he bulldozed his way over. A highlight of the day's program was the recognition of former Flying Fijians who had played against Scotland in 1997. That included Joeli Veitayaki and Filipe Rayasi, whose sons Haeriet Hetit and Salesi Rayasi played for Fiji yesterday. Hetit is Veitayaki's son while Salesi is Filipe's son. The Flying Fijians will now prepare for the upcoming Pacific Nations Cup while Scotland will meet Manu Samoa at Eden Park on Friday night.
Associated Press
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Fiji 29, Scotland 14
Suva, Fiji HFC Bank Stadium Saturday Fiji 29 (Tevita Ikanivere, Kalaveti Ravouvou, Jiuta Wainiqolo tries; penalty try; Caleb Muntz 2 conversions, penalty), Scotland 14 (Kyle Rowe, Tom Jordan tries; Fergus Burke 2 conversions). HT: 15-7
The Independent
09-07-2025
- Sport
- The Independent
Fit-again Kyle Steyn relishing prospect of Scotland return after year away
Kyle Steyn is set to end an injury-plagued year away from international rugby in Scotland's clash Fiji on Saturday. After taking part in last summer's four-Test tour of the Americas, the Glasgow captain picked up two separate untimely injuries just before the Autumn Series and then the Six Nations. The 31-year-old wing has fully recovered from his respective ankle and knee problems and, after a largely experimental side kicked off the South Pacific tour with a win over Maori All Blacks in last Saturday's non-cap international in Whangarei, Steyn could start at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, a prospect which leaves him 'chomping at the bit'. 'Jeez, almost coming up on a year,' he said. 'It's been some year, man. 'If you'd told me a year ago that I'd have to wait another year, I wouldn't have believed you. 'But, yeah, just chomping at the bit, to be honest, after seeing the autumn and the Six Nations and the boys that are doing so well with the (British and Irish) Lions and the boys that played on the weekend. I just can't wait. 'To pick up an injury the week before both is kind of funny to look back on now, because the odds on that can't be much. 'But then I think Cammy Redpath was saying he had a pretty similar case this season, so you're never alone. 'I was gutted with how it'd gone, but that's just the way the game goes. 'And at Glasgow, I think we all learned this year that injuries happen, so many of our boys seemed to pick up big injuries somewhere along the way. All those boys have bounced back really well, so I'm just kind of trying to follow in their stead and really looking forward to Saturday.' Steyn is familiar with Fiji players and described the prospect of taking them on in their own back yard as 'insane'. He said: 'We've spoken before the tour about what goals we have and what we were looking forward to. I think being in Scotland at Glasgow and Edinburgh, we've all had loads of Fijian team-mates and they're the kind of team-mates that you're just drawn to straight away because of the way they play the game. 'In terms of playing the game tough but fair, there aren't people that do it more so than the Fijians. 'Just their sense of community and what it means for them to play at home. 'All those guys, when they come to the end of the season and you're talking about what they're going to do in the summer, if they've got Pacific Nations and they're playing teams in Fiji, they're just massively excited for those games.' Steyn says a positive result would be 'huge' for the Scots. He said: 'A lot's been said already about the World Cup draw at the back end of the year and how important these games are from that standpoint. 'But the last time we were here in 2017, we lost. 'There were guys that played that game and spoke about how tough it was. 'With the group we've got, there's a lot of experience but also a lot of fresh energy. 'This is a massive challenge to come to a place like this with where those guys are going to be emotionally in front of their people on Saturday. 'It'd be really, really awesome to pick up a win here.'
