Fiji national rugby league team

Infobox rugby league nation
Name = Fiji
Badge = Fiji National Rugby league team.jpg
Badge_size = 100px
Nickname = The Bati
Association = Fiji Rugby League
Region = Oceania
Coach = flagicon|Fiji Jo Rabele
Captain =
Most caps =
Top scorer =
Home Stadium = Post Fiji Stadium
RLIF Rank = 6th
pattern_la1=|pattern_b1=|pattern_ra1=
leftarm1=FFFFFF|body1=FFFFFF|rightarm1=FFFFFF|shorts1=000000|socks1=FFFFFF
First game = flagicon|Samoa Western Samoa 32 - 18 Fiji flagicon|Fiji (Apia, Samoa; 1992)
Largest win = flagicon|Cook Islands Cook Islands 6 - 54 Fiji flagicon|Fiji (Suva, Fiji; 1992)
Largest loss = flagicon|Australia Australia 84 - 14 Fiji flagicon|Fiji (Marathon Stadium, Newcastle; 12 July 1994)
World cup apps = 2
World cup first = 1995
World cup best = Round 1, 1995; 2000 The Fiji national rugby league team (nicknamed the Bati) has been participating in international competition since 1992. Members of the team are selected from the domestic Fijian competition, as well as from competitions in New Zealand and Australia. For the 2000 World Cup the Bati were captained by Lote Tuqiri.

History

The game was introduced to Fiji only in 1992 but despite this there has been a long history of Fijian players making their mark in rugby league, most notably back in the 1960s when great players such as Joe Levula and Laitia Ravouvou joined Rochdale Hornets and became household names in the English competition.

Interest and participation in Rugby League snowballed throughout Fiji, and as well as continued success in the World Sevens, the Batis began playing full 13-aside games against international teams. By 1994, Fiji had hammered the Great Britain Amateur tourists (40-8) and, captained by mighty front-rower James Pickering, beat France (20-12).

They had also produced their first rugby league superstar after winger Noa Nadruku joined Canberra Raiders and in 1993 became the top try-scorer in the Australian competition.

Fiji took part in their first World Cup in 1995 where, just as the 2000 World Cup, they had the misfortune to be placed in the same group as both England and Australia. But the Batis made a massive impression in their opening World Cup game in which they ran riot against South Africa, 52-6, and had the crowd on their feet at Keighley.

2008 Rugby League World Cup

The Fiji Bati qualified for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup to be held in Australia after finishing second in Pacific qualifying behind Tonga. Fiji's qualification campaign started with a thrilling 30-28 loss to Samoa before reversing the scoreline a few days later with a 30-28 win over the Tongans. Fiji won their final qualifying game against Cook Islands 40-4. The Vodafone Fiji Bati team could be playing Test matches against the Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Ireland in their build up to the upcoming Rugby League World Cup in Australia this October. Fiji National Rugby League president Peni Musunamasi said that the confirmation on their three Test matches would be made after their annual general meeting on January 19.

2008 World Cup squad

"Announced on 7 October 2008"

Competitions

Fiji have participated in:

*Pacific Cup (since 1992)
*World Cup (since 1995)
*World Sevens (1994-2003)
*Superleague World Nines (1996,1997)
*Superleague Oceania Tournament (1997)
*Pacific Rim Competition (2004)

Results

* Tonga def. Fiji 14-12 (19 October 2007)
* Junior Kangaroos def Fiji 15-14 (5 October 2007)
* Fiji def.Cook Islands 58-12 (26 January 2007)
* Fiji 40 def. Cook Islands 4 (7 October 2006)
* Fiji 30 def. Tonga 28 (4 October 2006)
* Samoa 30 def. Fiji 28 29 September 2006)
* Tonga def. Fiji 22-4 (2006)
* Fiji def. Cook Islands 40-18 (2006)
* Fiji def. Samoa 26-4 (2006)
* Fiji tied Cook Islands 20-20 (February 2005)
* Fiji def. Niue 34-24 (23 October 2004)
* Cook Islands def. Fiji 20-12 (21 October 2004)
* Tonga def. Fiji 56-6 (17 October 2004)
* Cook Islands def. Fiji 36-24 (17 August 2004)
* Fiji def. England "A" 44-8 (11 November 2002)
* England def. Fiji 66-4 (4 November 2000)
* Australia def. Fiji 66-8 (1 November 2000)
* Fiji def. Russia 38-12 (29 October 2000)
* Fiji def. Tonga 10-6 (3 June 2000)
* Tonga def. Fiji 23-20 (27 May 2000)
* New Zealand Māoris def. Fiji 70-0 (29 April 2000)
* New Zealand Māoris def. Fiji 28-12 (25 April 2000)
* New Zealand Māoris def. Fiji 44-14 (22 April 2000)
* Fiji def. Samoa 30-4 (1999)
* Fiji def. Samoa 22-16 (1999)
* Samoa def. Fiji 6-1 (1999)
* Papua New Guinea def. Fiji 16-14 (1998)
* Papua New Guinea def. Fiji 34-12 (1998)
* Fiji def. Papua New Guinea 14-10 (1998)
* Fiji def. Tonga 22-14 (1998)
* Cook Islands def. Fiji 22-14 (1997)
* New Zealand Māoris def. Fiji 32-22 (1997)
* Fiji drew with Tonga 14-14 (1997)
* Fiji drew with Tonga 22-22 (1997)
* Fiji def. Cook Islands 14-8 (1996)
* Great Britain def. Fiji 72-4 (5 October 1996)
* Australia def. Fiji 66-0 (14 October 1995)
* England def. Fiji 46-0 (11 October 1995)
* Fiji def. South Africa 52-6 (8 October 1995)
* Fiji def. France 20-12 (9 July 1994)
* Papua New Guinea def. Fiji 35-24 (1993)
* Fiji def. Cook Islands 54-6 (1992)
* Tonga def. Fiji 23-20 (1992)
* Niue def. Fiji 14-10 (1992)
* Western Samoa def. Fiji 32-18 (1992)

National Rugby League of Fiji

During the Super League war Fiji, like most countries other countries, aligned itself with Super League. In search of international competition the Australian Rugby League played a match against a rebel "National Rugby League of Fiji" team in 1996. This match has been granted Test status by the Australian Rugby League, but not by the Rugby League International Federation.

* Australia def. NRL Fiji 84-14 (1996)

ee also

* Rugby league in Fiji

External links

* [http://rugbyleaguefiji.com/ Fiji Bati Official site]
* [http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8688708056145983012&q=rugby+league/ Google-Video]
* [http://www.rugbyleague.org/index.php?showforum=201 Fiji Rugby League Fans Forums - RugbyLeague.org]
* [http://www.rlwc08.com/ 2008 Rugby League World Cup Site]