Fiji's Achilles heel: Why the Ben Volavola omission is 'a big mistake'
An emphatic clean sweep of the Pacific Nations Cup was a promising sign that Fiji could be in for a huge World Cup campaign but before they get there, a warm-up clash with France awaits.
Fiji named a 33-man Rugby World Cup squad packed with the kind of power and pace that guarantees highlight plays in every game but one position in particular was a contentious selection.
At first five, every nation has taken a different approach to selection. Some, like Australia, have named just one No 10 while others, like England, have named three. Fiji had three playmakers in their World Cup training squad; Caleb Muntz, Teti Tela and Ben Volavola, but only two made the final cut.
Volavola is by far the most experienced of the three, making his international debut at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and racking up 42 caps in total. Tela and Muntz have just seven caps between them but were ultimately selected over the veteran.
“We were selecting on the balance of how we want to play,” Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui said.
Fiji’s final Pacific Nations Cup match against Japan was the last chance for the players to put their hand up for selection before the World Cup squad announcement and while the resounding win saw many great performances throughout the Fijian unit, for former All Black James Parsons, Volavola was a standout.
“They are a physical presence across the park,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod, having commentated the Fiji v Japan match. “They are fit and the most impressive thing was the discipline to get out of their own territory.
“When there was a red card to (Lappies) Labuschagne, they probably overplayed their hand after that but when it was 15 on 15, their contestable game, their kick space game, they were really impressive.
“I went through their (World Cup) squad the other day and I might have misread it but I didn’t see Ben Volavola.
“He was just massive in the way they got out of their half.
“I think that’ll be a big mistake if he isn’t there. I just think his experience, his time in France, I don’t know, there’s just a lot (of reasons) you’d want him in and around that squad for.”
Volavola led the match with 10 kicks in play, guiding his team out of their own half and putting them in more favourable attacking positions.
From there, the Fijian’s flair was on full display but also, their improved dominance at set piece. The Fijian forwards have been huge in their start to the 2023 international season, with the rolling maul presenting a new weapon for the team.
The weekend’s clash with France though poses a new level of challenge and will provide a better insight into how the team are tracking against not just tier-one talent, but one of the World Cup favourites.
“I’ve got a lot of faith in their set piece,” Parsons added. “Like how hard their back row scrum and even how they slide up and join the front row at times which I know isn’t legal but they get away with it. They’re there to do the job and then (Tevita) Ikanivere is a very good thrower and those boys are extremely powerful; good lifts, good jumps, tall men, the set piece is an area they’ve proven to be very, very strong at thus far.
“They are well placed, purely because I think Darryl Gibson and Glen Jackson have been really, really clinical and I think the consistent voice of Glen Jackson coming from the Drua, I know that not all those players are there, but they’ve really grown in that exit. Because that’s the only thing that will be their Achilles heel, if they overplay.
“You don’t want to take away their natural instinct, which I don’t think they will, but coming out of their half, if they can do that, they’re a real chance.”
Comments on RugbyPass
The first concern for this afternoon are wheather forecast…
1 Go to commentsWhy cant I watch Rugby games please?
1 Go to commentsBeautiful shot from Finau, end of story. Gutted for Shaun Stevenson though.
4 Go to commentsThe Chiefs definitely didn’t win ugly. They had the superior scrum, a dominant lineout, and their defence was excellent once the Waratahs scored their two tries (thanks to some lucky refereeing calls mind you). They put pressure on the Waratahs lineout throughout the game, and the mind boggles as to why the referee did not award a yellow card or a penalty try against the Waratahs for repeated scrum infringements on their own try line before Narawa’s first try. And the Chiefs were slick with their passing and running angles on attack. It was a dominant performance all round, even with many questionable refereeing decisions.
1 Go to commentsWasnt late. Ref 2 assistants andTMO all saw it so who are you to say it was?
4 Go to commentsAre the Brumbies playing the Blues twice in a row?
4 Go to commentsBig difference from the Saders. Forwards really muscled up and laid a solid platform. Scooter brought some steel and I liked the loosie combination. Newell has been rather disappointing this season but stepped up big time - happy also to see Franks dot down. He should do that more often! Reihana had a good game and there seems to be more flair and invention with him in the saddle. McNicoll plays well from the back and is reliable plus inventive when he joins the line. Keep it up chaps!
3 Go to comments🤦♂️🤣 who cares who’s the best . All I know is the All Blacks have the star coach but have few star players now …
31 Go to commentsJe suis sûr que Farrell est impatient de jouer avec Lopez et Machenaud et d’être entraîné par Collazo… 🤭
1 Go to commentsAn on field red (aka a full red) in SRP must surely carry a bigger suspension than a red card given by the bunker as that carries a 20 minute team punishment. Had Damon Murphy abdicated his responsibility as a ref and issued both Drua players a yellow, which would have been upgraded to a 20 minute red by the bunker, that would have killed Australia and New Zealand’s push for the 20 minute red to be trialled globally from July this year.
11 Go to commentsEver so often you all post a Danny Care story that isn’t the announcement that he has finally re-signed for one more, victory tour season at Quins and I’m just like, “well you fooled me again!” My absolute favorite player ever, we need to make his final year at the Stoop (and Twickers) official already. I know he supposedly snubbed France but I won’t feel better until he signs.
1 Go to commentslate hit what late hit it wasn’t at all late and can clearly see he was committed before the tackle
4 Go to commentsChristian Lio -Willies 2 try perfomance was a standout. As was captain Scott Barrett. Up front was where the boys won it.They are a great team and players. Fantastic Crusaders , you can keep going.
3 Go to commentsI don't know how the locals feel about that? I guess if you call yourselves the Worcester Wasps that might be appease. But really we need more teams in the Premiership in my view so they are not padding it out as they are at the moment. It might curtail so many players going abroad as well
5 Go to commentsNZ 😭😭😭is certainly rivaling England for best whingers cup!😭😭😭 !!!
31 Go to commentsYup. New Zealand won 3 out of 10 world cups played. SA 4 out of 8 attempts 30 Vs 50 per cent.🤔🤔
31 Go to commentsShould've done this years ago. Change Saturday kick off times to around 11am. Up and off and back home before 3pm, limit travel time too. Allows players to actually do something else with their Saturday that's family oriented or being rugby fans they could ‘watch’ pro rugby. Increases crowds etc. How can anyone that enjoys grassroots and pro rugby have to choose between the two on Saturdays?
9 Go to commentsI bet he inspired those supporters just as much.
1 Go to commentsBen Smith Springboks living rent free in his head 😊😂
67 Go to commentsGood to hear he would like to play the game at the highest level, I hadn’t been to sure how much of a motivator that was before now. Sadly he’s probably chosen the rugby club to go to. Try not to worry about all the input about how you should play rugby Joey and just try to emulate what you do on the league field and have fun. You’ll limit your game too much (well not really because he’s a standard athlete like SBW and he’ll still have enough) if you’re trying to make sure you can recycle the ball back etc. On the other hard, you can totally just try and recycle by looking to offload any and everywhere if you’re going to ground 😋
1 Go to comments