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Harlequins new signings Vereniki Goneva and Tevita Cavubati have been drafted into the Fiji team to face Samoa in Suva on Saturday as head coach John McKee searches for his most powerful line up for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
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Goneva, 35-years-old, is back from injury to make his first appearance in the Pacific Nations Cup where Fiji are the defending champions and McKee is banking on the wing’s experience to help the team quickly deliver the kind of performance to prove they could be a major threat to World Cup pool opponents Australia and Wales.
McKee has picked Cavubati alongside Leone Nakarawa at lock while the promising Setareki Tuicuvu, who helped defeat France in Paris last November, is at full back to face a Samoa team missing captain Piula Fa’asalele who broke his wrist against the USA and could be out for up to six weeks. McKee said: “We all know what a great player he (Goneva) is and a leader on and off the field. Tuicuvu is a young player on the way up and has had some really good match time with his season in Clermont.
“They had a few unfortunate injuries which restricted their game time. But credit to them they have worked very hard during their rehabilitation. They’re in top-notch in their fitness conditions and are really looking forward to the game.”
Fiji will feature a solid front-row led by hooker Sam Matavesi and props Campese Ma’afu and Peni Ravai and an outstanding back row trio of captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu, Semi Kunatani and No8 Viliame Mata. Half-Back Frank Lomani and Fly-half Ben Volavola start after missing the win over Canada and there is a new mid-field pairing of Levani Botia and Semi Radradra.
“We are looking at a few positions ahead of the Rugby World Cup, giving the players the opportunity to get some game time before the squad is announced,” added McKee. “We are looking at our combinations within the team and are getting them to play together so that they get the combinations together.”
Fiji Airways Flying Fijians match-day 23
1. Campese Ma’afu
2. Sam Matavesi
3. Peni Ravai
4. Tevita Cavubati
5. Leone Nakarawa
6. Dominiko Waqaniburotu
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7. Semi Kunatani
8. Viliame Mata
9. Frank Lomani
10. Ben Volavola
11. Patrick Osbourne
12. Levani Botia
13. Semi Radradra
14. Vereniki Goneva
15. Setareki Tuicuvu
Reserves
16. Mesulame Dolokoto
17. Eroni Mawi
18. Kalivati Tawake
19. Tevita Ratuva
20. Peceli Yato
21. Nikola Matawalu
22. Josh Matavesi
23. Kini Murimurivalu
Comments on RugbyPass
Don’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
9 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
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