Fiji Women’s Rugby Camp in Disarray as They Draw Canada in 2025 World Cup Opener
Fiji’s women’s rugby team is grappling with internal challenges as they prepare for their opening match against powerhouse Canada in the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup. The match, scheduled for August 23, 2025, at York Community Stadium in England, comes at a critical time for the 17th-ranked Fijians, who are reportedly struggling with team cohesion and organizational issues ahead of the tournament. Facing the second-ranked Canadian squad in their opening game only heightens the pressure on Fiji to overcome these hurdles.
Canada, by contrast, enters the tournament in strong form and is widely considered one of the favorites to advance deep into the competition. The Canadian women’s rugby team, under the leadership of coach Kevin Rouet, has built considerable momentum over the past few years. They recently made headlines by securing their first-ever victory against New Zealand’s Black Ferns, a historic 22-19 win that underscored their growing prowess on the international stage.
With Canada’s squad brimming with confidence and experience, they pose a formidable challenge for Fiji. The two teams have only faced each other once before, in a 2022 test match where Canada came out on top with a convincing 24-7 victory. The Fijian side will need to make significant improvements if they hope to change the outcome this time around.
Adding to Fiji’s woes is the tough competition they will face in Pool B. Besides Canada, Fiji is slated to play against No. 10 Wales and No. 7 Scotland. Both of these teams are historically stronger and boast solid records, making Fiji’s path to the quarterfinals all the more difficult. With only the top two teams from each pool advancing, Fiji will need to deliver standout performances in every match, beginning with the clash against Canada.
The Fijian camp’s current state of disarray has raised concerns about the team’s readiness. Reports suggest that a lack of clear leadership, coupled with logistical issues, has hampered the team’s preparations. Training sessions have been inconsistent, and there are rumors of disagreements within the coaching staff and players. For Fiji, a successful World Cup campaign hinges not only on their physical abilities but also on their ability to unite and address these internal challenges in time for their opening game.
On the other hand, Canada’s squad is focused, driven, and has consistently performed at a high level on the world stage. The Canadians have a strong track record against their Pool B opponents, boasting a 10-2-2 record against Wales and a 6-1-0 record against Scotland. Canada’s best performance in the Women’s Rugby World Cup came in 2014 when they finished as runners-up to England. They also reached the semifinals in the 2022 edition, narrowly losing to England 26-19 before falling to France in the third-place match.
For Fiji, the stakes are high. While their underdog status gives them little to lose, they must find a way to overcome the internal chaos and face Canada with determination. A strong performance in their opening match could set the tone for the rest of the tournament, while a loss could quickly put their World Cup hopes in jeopardy.
As the countdown to the 2025 Women’s Rugby World Cup begins, all eyes will be on Fiji to see if they can overcome their challenges and deliver a competitive performance against one of the world’s top rugby teams. Whether the Fijians can rise above the turmoil remains to be seen, but their opening match against Canada will certainly be a crucial test.