Fiji rugby team that holds the 11th position in the International Rugby Board world ranking in the year 2006/07 have played many international matches that made them famous. Fiji is one of the few countries where rugby union is the main sport.
Fiji played their first international match against Western Samoa in Apia, Samoa on 18 August 1924. The team Fiji played their first full test against Wales in Cardiff in 1985.
The quarterfinalists of the 1987 Rugby World Cup were eliminated at the pool stage in 1991 and 2003 Rugby World Cup tournaments. Also eliminated in the qurterfinal play offs in 1999 Rugby World Cup, the team was not qualified for the 1995 tournament held in South Africa.
The team has won only three matches out of the 11 matches played. It has managed to score 345 points. The team which wears white jersey, black shorts and white socks with the emblem of coconut tree is led by head coach Illivasi Tabua.
After losing to France in the 1987 quarter finals and to Romania in the 1991 pool stage of the Rugby World Cup and failing to qualify for the 1995 Rugby World Cup, the Fiji team is appearing for the fourth time in the Rugby World Cup tournament.
Rugby was first played in Fiji by European and Fijian soldiers of the Native Constabulary on Viti Levu Island in 1884. Regardedas the strongest of the Pacific Nations, Fiji were defeated by New Zealand in 2004. In July 2006, five Fiji internationals were banned from playing international rugby for the rest of the year after they were found in a drunken brawl in Japan after a Pacific Five Nations match. This has left a bad nark to the good reputation of the team.
