U18 Japan Boys SDS Side To Compete at Star-Studded McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens 2025

Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens 2025 features high-profile national and invitational Sevens rugby sides, top-class commentary, as well as a youth division that includes the Japanese Boys U18 SDS squad. The tournament has already become a popular non-HSBC SVNS Series event and every year invites some legendary rugby players.

The tournament takes place from January 16-18 2025 at Lawaqa Park, Sigatoka, Fij and with the 3rd leg of the HSBC SVNS taking place in Perth from  24-26, several national teams have entered development sides in preparation, including the Fijian, New Zealand, and Australian men’s teams, and the NZ and Fijiana 7s Women.

The Samoa Mens 7s are also involved and will be trying to return to the SVNS circuit when they compete at the World Rugby Sevens Challenger which gets underway in Cape Town in March 2025.

Some of the special guests this weekend include current Fijin 7s Coach and former Olympic gold medalist Osea Kolinisau (who previously coached the China Women’s 7s team) is in attendance and will be coaching the Fiji Sevens Men’s side, Fijian Sevens legend Waisale Serevi, and many others.

McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens 2025 Pools and Teams

*One of the highlights of this year’s tournament is the Mike Friday Select team. The former USA Sevens Head Coach has selected recently retired Blitzbok Rosko Specman, Irish Sevens captain Harry McNulty (who briefly came out of retirement in Cape Town in December to help his ill-struck side at the Cape Town SVNS), Fijian legend and two-time Olympic gold medalist Jerry Tuwai who captains the side, Luke Treharne (the former Welsh 7s international now plays his rugby in Hong Kong), Matai Leuta (USA 7s) as well as a number of Fiji national team 7s players.

The full tournament schedule can be seen here.

Men’s Sevens Teams

Pool A

• FIJI 7S
• NZ SEVENS 2
• TUVA
• BROTHERS

Pool B

• NZ SEVENS 1
• DRUA 7S
• SEATTLE BARBARIANS
• COLO WEST HIGHLANDERS

Pool C

• BLK LAVIDI BROTHERS
• MANU SAMOA 7S
• BULA BAY 7s
• RATU FILISE

Pool D

• AUSTRALIAN SELECT 7s
• McDONALD’S MIKE FRIDAY SELECT 7S*
• DEVO BABAS
• TAIKITA BROTHERS 7s

Of interest, in the Australia Select 7s side is Rocco Gollings who is the son of former England player Ben Gollings, who has coached across Asia and of course the Fiji men’s Sevens side.

Women’s Sevens Teams

The Bilo Bar Club Aflame Sisters is pretty much the Fiji Women’s 7s national or development team and is coached by Taione Ratu who is the Fiji Airways Fijiana 7s Development team coach. The side includes a number of players involved in the opening two rounds of the HSBC SVNS in Dubai and Cape Town this season.

The Mount Masada side also features several Fijiana 7s players and those who have played on the HSBC SVNS, Oceania 7s, World Cup 7s And 15s, Commonwealth Games etc.

The same can be said of the Seahawks who have a number of capped Fijiana 7s and 15s players in their team.

Some of the names that stood out in the NZ Women’s 7s Development side (which features several NZ U18 7s representatives and some Black Ferns contracted players) include Louise Blyde who is the cousin of New Zealand Sevens Olympics gold medallist Michaela Blyde**, Justine McGregor and Olive Watherstone both made their Black Ferns 7s debuts in 2024, and the side has the notable return of the ‘Smiling Assasin’ Stacey Waaka who has returned from injury.

Michaela Blyde recently got married and missed the events in Cape Town and Dubai and has also signed on for the NZ Warriors rugby league side and will join them after this SVNS season.

Pool A

• NZ DEV – WOMEN
• BILO BAR CLUB AFLAME SISTERS
• BLUEGAS LILIAN AMAZONS
• TAGIMOUCIA RANADI
• LAVA CITY – SAVUSAVU

Pool B

• MOUNT MASADA
• EZERS
• SEAHAWKS
• PACIFIC NOMADS WOMEN
• TUVA WOMEN

Youth Sevens Teams

Pool A

• DOMINION BROTHERS
• TUVA YOUTH
• PACIFIC NOMADS YOUTH
• NAURU RUGBY

Pool B

• BILO BAR CLUB AFLAME BROTHERS
• TUBARUA
• McDONALD’S SAUNAKA
• SUNNYBANK DRAGONS

Pool C

• U18 JAPAN SDS
• VILLAGE BOYS
• STAR HOSPITALITY PACIFIC MANA ACADEMY
• NAVALA RUGBY YOUTH

Pool D

• SOUTHLAND BRONCOS
• SACRAMENTO KAJI
• SAUSAUVOU TAVEUNI
• NOI NABUA STALLIONS

Japan U18 SDS Boys Squad – Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens 2025

The Japan U18 SDS side is coached by former Japan Sakura 7s Head Coach Takashi Suzuki (which is interesting). You can see more from the JRFU on their time in Fiji here.

• HAYASHI, Shungo
• UCHIDA, Shinnosuke (captain)
• MIYASHITA, Shun
• FUKUDA, Tsunehidemichi
• ONDA, Dan
• CHO, Kazuki
• IIZUMI, Kanta
• AZUMA, Yuta
• TANAKA, Mosato
• ONO, Ango
• KUSUMI, Seren
• HAYASHI, Sora

Photo Credit – JRFU – Japan U18 SDS Boys Squad – McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens 2025

How To Watch the McDonald’s Fiji’s Coral Coast Sevens 2025

The tournament organisers said there will be a livestream available here but an account will need to be created (for free). The tournament is free to attend.

A number of well-known rugby 7s commentators are lined up including Rikki Swannell, Rachael Burford, Alicia Lucas, Karl Tenana, Sean Maloney etc.

Sevens Rugby News 2025

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