Fiji seal final spot at next year’s World Cup
TOM LAW Terry Fox Stadium, Brampton, last Sunday
FIJI 62
NIGERIA 4
FIJI secured the last spot at the 2026 Women’s World Cup in emphatic fashion.
Having nilled Canada in the World Series semi-final last Tuesday, they thrashed Africa’s finest Nigeria with a ruthlessness that will make any opponent stand up and take notice.
The Bulikula join holders and hosts Australia plus England, France, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Wales in next year’s global event.
It took just eight minutes for winger Maria Paseka to open the scoring, with a well-worked move finding space on the right.
Less than five minutes later Fiji doubled their lead, with speed in the ruck play and a fast moving attack forcing a penalty that they were able to exploit.
Sereana Naitokatoka used a pass against the grain from the resulting position to put Leilani Asham under the sticks, before Cassie Staples was able to score another in quick-fire to extend the lead.