Rugby

Four on debut for Ulunisau

May 26, 2023 9:59 pm

[Source: Fiji Rugby/Facebook]

Women’s World Rugby Sevens Series Impact Player of the Year Reapi Ulunisau marked her Vodafone Fijiana 15s debut with four tries.

The Nadroga speedster was on fire for the Fijiana in their 77-0 win over Papua New Guinea in its opening Oceania Championship match.

Fijiana’s high tempo and offloading game was too hot for PNG to handle.

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The side was wearing black arm bands as they remember former Fijiana coach the late Elenoa Kunatuba who passed away a few days ago.

Hooker Keleni Marawa started the try scoring spree in the 9th minute before they hit double figures in the 16th with 7s star Ana Maria Naimasi dotting down.

Just two minutes later the Fijiana ran a length of the field try which was finished off by Naimasi.

PNG tested the Fijiana defense for about five minutes before the Inoke Male coached side scored another coast to coast try through debutant Uluinasau.

The national side was reduced to 14 players when Naimasi copped a yellow card for a dangerous tackle close to halftime.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Fijiana prop Ana Korovata crashed over for their fifth try with Fijiana leading 31-0 at the break.

It took only 24 seconds in the second spell for the Fijiana to register their sixth try and Ulunisau’s second.

Ulunisau got her hat-trick not too long after following another show of Fijian flair before touching down for the fourth.

Flanker Fulori Nabura and Sulita Waisega both scored a double in the second while Karalaini Naisewa added another.

Fijiana takes on Tonga at 9:30pm next Tuesday before facing Samoa four days later.

The Oceania Championship winner will qualify for World Rugby’s WXV 2, a tier two competition scheduled to be played in Cape Town, South Africa, in October, while the runners-up will compete in WXV 3.