HSBC LA 7s: FIJI Airways Fiji 7s Teams Ready for World Championship Showdown
The 2025 HSBC SVNS Series reaches its thrilling climax next weekend as the top eight men’s and women’s rugby sevens teams battle for the World Championship title at the Dignity Health Sports Park in Los Angeles, home of Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy. Meanwhile, the bottom four teams in the standings will face off against the top four from the Challenger Series in a high-pressure playoff for a spot in next season’s elite competition.
The FIJI Airways Fijian 7s team has been drawn in a challenging Pool A alongside New Zealand, Australia, and Spain, while the FIJI Airways Fijiana 7s team will compete against Australia, France, and the USA in their pool.
Fresh off their victories in Singapore, Argentina (Men’s) and New Zealand (Women’s) were crowned SVNS League Winners after dominating the regular season. However, the focus now shifts to the winner-takes-all World Championship title, set to take place from May 4th–5th (Fiji Time Zone), in a competition that no longer has competition favourites as teams like Spain and Argentina developing their game and threatening teams like Fiji and New Zealand who once dominated the abbreviated code.
The Fijiana 7s squad has already departed for Los Angeles, while the Fijian 7s team is set to leave this weekend. Head coach Osea Kolinisau has been putting a 22-player training squad through intense sessions, with final selections to be announced before departure.
Kolinisau acknowledged the difficulty of their pool, emphasizing the need for consistency. “This is a straight semi-final—we can’t afford to lose a single game if we want to secure a spot in the finals,” he said. “Spain has been consistent, but we’ll take it one game at a time.”
The team has been working on refining their gameplay, with Kolinisau stressing the importance of balance in attack and defense. “A very good team knows when to speed up and when to slow down,” he said. “The boys are starting to understand the bigger picture.”
Fitness remains a top priority, with Kolinisau setting high standards for selection. “No matter how skillful or strong you are, if you’re not fit, sevens will catch up to you,” he warned. “I’d rather take a fit player in an unfamiliar position than an unfit specialist.”
To prepare for the fast-paced LA tournament, the team incorporated sessions at the Sigatoka Sand Dunes, testing their endurance ahead of the tournament.
The Fijian 7s team will be confirmed this Thursday, with departure set for Saturday from Nadi International Airport. With the World Championship title on the line, it’s game-on for both the FIJI Airways Fiji 7s teams who are preparing to bring glory to the nation once again.