Fiji Rugby Union chairman John Sanday has told reporters the Flying Fijians are aiming to reach the semi-finals of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, or even win it, and that players must earn the right to wear the national jersey. His remarks, reported by Fijivillage on 13 October, landed the same day the FRU, Fiji’s national rugby governing body, named South Africa’s Jake White as head coach for the tournament in Australia.
Key facts
- Sanday said there will be strong competition for places and that players must be committed to representing Fiji rather than simply pursuing personal ambitions, according to Fijivillage.
- White, 62, was announced by the FRU on Tuesday after beating a field of applicants that included Warren Gatland and Shaun Edwards, Rugby365 reported.
- He replaces Senirusi Seruvakula, who held the job on an interim basis from April.
- Fiji have been drawn in a pool with Spain, Canada and Argentina, and open against Spain in Newcastle, Channel NewsAsia reported.
- Fiji’s last match before the tournament is against the Springboks at Central Coast Stadium in Gosford, north of Sydney, on Saturday 18 September 2027.
- The World Cup begins on 1 October 2027, according to Rugby365.
Why it matters
The target Sanday has set sits above what Fiji achieved in 2023. Rugby365 reports the side reached the quarter-finals in France that year, a run that included a historic win over the Wallabies, and says the new coach will look to improve on that showing. With the tournament being staged in Australia, the fixtures fall within reach of one of the largest Fijian communities abroad.
It is also a crowded year for Fiji’s national teams, which have been assembling squads for world tournaments across codes, including the Fiji Bati squad for the rugby league World Cup and the Fiji Bulikula squad, as covered previously by Fiji News.
Jake White takes charge
White coached South Africa from 2004 to 2007 and helped the Springboks lift the Webb Ellis trophy in 2007, Rugby365 reports. More recently he was the Bulls’ Director of Rugby between 2020 and 2025. His international experience also includes a technical advisory role with Tonga in 2014, and he has coached in France and Japan.
“It is an incredible honour to be given the opportunity to lead the Flying Fijians,” White said in the FRU announcement carried by Rugby365. In the same statement he said he was not coming to Fiji to change what makes Fijian rugby special, but to protect and strengthen that identity while adding structures, discipline and winning habits. He said the nation has already shown it can challenge the world’s rugby powers, and that his responsibility is to turn potential into consistent performances.
White also said he understands what winning a Rugby World Cup means to a country, and that the matches ahead are opportunities to establish the standards required heading towards 2027.
The draw and a Springbok warm-up
Fiji’s final preparation match is a Test against South Africa in Gosford on 18 September 2027, announced on 18 September this year, according to The Citizen. Rugby365 notes the fixture gives White a chance to face his former team. Springbok head coach Rassie Erasmus said his side was very excited about the clash and welcomed the chance to play in Gosford again, after last facing the Pacific Islanders there in 2004.
Erasmus described Fiji as a quality team that has consistently tested some of the top sides in the world in recent years, one of the top 10 ranked nations, physical and talented, and said both teams would want to take full advantage of the warm-up. Channel NewsAsia reports the Springboks are chasing a third straight title after wins in Japan in 2019 and France in 2023, and open their own campaign against Italy in Adelaide on 3 October, with Georgia and Romania also in Pool B.
Standards and selection
Sanday told the media the FRU wants to establish clear standards and ensure players understand the responsibility that comes with wearing the national jersey, Fijivillage reports. He framed selection as a contest, saying competition for places will be strong and that commitment to Fiji, rather than individual goals, will decide who is picked.
Fijivillage reports the Flying Fijians meet Japan next Saturday before heading to Europe for the Nations Championship. The sources describe that European leg differently: Fijivillage calls it the Nations Championship, while White’s statement to Rugby365 lists November matches against France, Ireland and Italy without naming the competition.
Frequently Asked Questions
When do the Flying Fijians play next?
Fijivillage reports Fiji face Japan in a Test next Saturday at 5.50pm in Japan, before travelling to Europe for the Nations Championship. In his appointment statement carried by Rugby365, Jake White said the November challenges after Japan are France, Ireland and Italy.
Have Fiji ever beaten South Africa?
No. Channel NewsAsia reports the two sides have met three times and the Springboks won all three, with their last meeting at the 2011 World Cup.
What happened to interim coach Senirusi Seruvakula?
Rugby365 reports Seruvakula was appointed on an interim basis in April and oversaw the Flying Fijians’ mid-year Tests in July as well as the 2026 Pacific Nations Cup in September. He is replaced by Jake White ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup.
Will the squad come home to Fiji before the World Cup?
Asked about plans to reconnect players with the public, Sanday told Fijivillage that players are usually released about six weeks before the tournament to begin preparations. He said that should give them enough time to return home as part of those preparations.
