The Fiji national rugby union team is a member of the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance (PIRA) formerly along with Samoa and Tonga. In 2009, Samoa announced their departure from the Pacific Islands Rugby Alliance, leaving just Fiji and Tonga. Fiji are ranked sixteenth in the world by the IRB as of 26 September 2011. Despite this low rating, in the 2007 Rugby World Cup Fiji defeated Wales 38–34 to claim a quarter final spot (theoretically placing them in the top 8 teams in the world) and proceeded to give eventual winners South Africa a scare eventually going down 37–20.
Fiji is one of the few countries where rugby union is the main sport. There are approximately 80,000 registered players from a total population of around 950,000. One of the problems for Fiji is simply getting their players to play for the country as many have contracts in Europe or with Super Rugby teams where the money is far more rewarding. The repatriated salaries of its overseas stars have become an important part of some local economies. In addition a significant number of players eligible to play for Fiji end up representing Australia or New Zealand; two notable examples are the Fiji-born, but New Zealand-raised, cousins and All Blacks Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu and Wallabies Wing Lote Tuqiri. Fiji has won the most Pacific Tri-Nations Championships of the three participating teams. The cibi (pronounced ) war dance is performed by the Fiji rugby team before each Test match. It has been used on the rugby field since 1939, though its origins date back to the country's warring times with its Pacific neighbours.
Read more about Fiji National Rugby Union Team: Record, Current Squad, Notable Players, Fijian Players Representing Other International Teams
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