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Fiji tipped as World Cup 'dark horses' by ex-internationals after big win over Tonga
A pair of former internationals have tipped Fiji to be the “dark horses” of next year’s World Cup following their emphatic Pacific Nations Cup win over Tonga last weekend.
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Fiji held the new-look Tonga side – equipped with headline debutants such as Israel Folau, Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau – scoreless as they romped to a 36-0 victory at ANZ National Stadium in Suva on Saturday.
The result lifts the Flying Fijians to the top of the Pacific Nations Cup table heading into their second round match against Australia A in Lautoka this weekend.
However, based on the evidence of their performance four days ago, Fiji could be set for even greater things come the 2023 World Cup in France.
That’s according to former All Blacks hooker James Parsons, who told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod that Fiji could prove to be the surprise package of next year’s tournament.
Parsons cited their ability to dominate collisions while playing an expansive and attacking brand of rugby bodes well for Fiji’s chances of reaching the World Cup knockout stages for the third time in their history.
“I think they could be a dark horse for 2023,” Parsons, who played two tests for the All Blacks between 2014 and 2016, told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
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“Their physicality, their ability to win their own ball, get across the gain line and their offload game, as expected, but the way they’re winning collisions and allowing them to keep that ball alive, it was a great watch.
“[Against] a Tongan team that probably came with a lot of expectation, they did the business. It’s not just the tries, to be fair. They held them out to zero and there was a lot of attacking prowess there.”
That sentiment was echoed by former Maori All Blacks halfback Bryn Hall, who agreed that Fiji could become a force to be reckoned with at the World Cup.
Hall, a six-time Super Rugby champion with the Crusaders who will soon join the Shizuoka Blue Revs in Japan, highlighted the involvement of the Fijian Drua in Super Rugby Pacific as a key factor behind Fiji’s recent success.
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Following their debut season in Super Rugby Pacific, the Drua have provided the Fijian national side with 15 of their 34 players.
Hall told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod that Fiji are beginning to reap the rewards of the significant cohesion that comes with nearly half of Vern Cotter’s squad being comprised of Drua players.
“It’s cohesion, it’s being able to understand the guy that’s next to you and being able to play at a high intensity,” Hall, who made eight appearances for the Maori All Blacks between 2017 and 2021, said.
“Playing against the Australians and the New Zealand teams on a week-by-week basis, it’s going to make your game a lot better.”
Hall added that the influence of Fiji assistant coach Jason Ryan – formerly a coach of Hall’s at the Crusaders – on the team’s forward pack is paying dividends for the Pacific Island nation.
“Don’t underestimate Jason Ryan and his involvement in that group as well,” Hall said before referencing last year’s first test between the All Blacks and Fiji as an example of the threat that the latter side poses.
“Very early on in their set piece, getting to that transition zone and then playing on top of teams with physicality from that set up some pretty early points for them.
“I think they’re a dark horse if they can continue to keep working on that set piece and getting that game management right.
“If you see the scenes on the weekend with them being able to offload the ball, play on top of teams – the All Blacks felt that last year playing them at Forsyth Barr [Stadium] in Dunedin last year, how hard it is to stop.”
Fiji, currently placed 11th on the World Rugby rankings, have been grouped in Pool C alongside the Wallabies, Wales, Georgia and the Final Qualifier Winner at next year’s World Cup.
The Final Qualifier Winner – which will be any one of Tonga, the USA, Namibia, Portugal, Chile, South Korea, Hong Kong, Zimbabwe, Kenya or Algeria – will be determined by a four-team round-robin tournament in November.
Fiji have previously qualified for the World Cup quarter-finals on two occasions, reaching the final eight at the 1987 event co-hosted by New Zealand and Australia, before replicating that feat in France in 2007.
Comments on RugbyPass
“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
2 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
3 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
3 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
3 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
2 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
4 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to comments