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Fiji's Rugby World Cup preparations just got significantly tastier
Fiji coach John McKee is in Japan this week finalising preparations for their World Cup campaign which now includes a two-match series against the Maori All Blacks in July.
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Fiji will host the Maori All Blacks in Suva on July 11 and after that series will tackle Japan, Canada, Samoa and Tonga in the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in August in a bid to be ready for World Cup pool games with Grand Slam champions Wales, Australia, Georgia and Uruguay.
The Maori All Blacks will face Fiji three days after the historic Test in Apia between the All Blacks and Manu Samoa. “This match is guaranteed entertainment for Fiji, come July, and we are delighted to once again host the Maori All Blacks,” said Fiji Rugby’s Chief Executive Radrodro Tabualevu.
The side will be filled with Super 15s Rugby players so they will be a very good team.
This game will have a lot of history behind it as the Maori All Blacks were the first rugby team to play at the then, newly renovated National Stadium just before the 1979 South Pacific Games. That team was captained by famous All Black prop Billy Bush,” The Maori All Blacks last played Fiji in the Pacific Nations Cup in 2008, winning 11-7 in Lautoka.
McKee admitted getting the right preparation for a major tournament has always been a challenge for Fiji, but believes important strides have been taken and the coach has identified key areas that need to be improved before the Cup starts.
He explained: “If we want to be the best Flying Fijians team ever, we need to put in the best preparation ever. I could see from the short time I was with our Europe-based players (last month) that they have a lot of focus on the World Cup.
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“They are also working very hard within their own environment to make sure they’ll be ready when they come to camp. But Australia and Wales will have more time together than us and that will be a challenge which we are well aware of and are working at ways to overcome.”
McKee told the Fiji Sun he wants his players to be more consistent in the contact areas and also improve in their defence ahead of the World Cup. “We will have to re-focus on the things we do around the ruck and contact areas because for us to play our game we need to get quick ball,” he said. “We need to be efficient in those areas against Tier 1 teams and Georgia as well who are very strong in that area. Our defence was quite good in 2018 and we have seen a progression in that area but it will have to be even better at RWC 2019.”
Comments on RugbyPass
GOTTA MAKE ‘THE GEORGE’ HAPPEN!!!! That’s a great idea! A trans Tasman midget battle on ANZAC Day. I don’t think the ABs Wallabies game should be a one off winner takes all though, just the first match with the other two later in the year with the RC. Reason being, no one will ever shut up about how aussies couldn’t win it when it was a 3 match series.
1 Go to comments@Ben smith. Thats knock out rugby. So honeslty who cares?
152 Go to commentsIt will interesting to know which Irish players said that…
1 Go to commentsNaaaww boys will be boys! Now run along ya wee scamp! Don’t let us catch you at again😏
1 Go to commentsGreat to have Ethan Blackadder back in the Crusaders in the last few weeks. One of the best all round loose forwards around. He played so well last week against the Rebels. Fantastic attitude Ethan has and his comments are spot on.
2 Go to commentsThe author is 100% right. The Springboks know that they don't have near the natural attraction, mana, skill and mystic the All Blacks have. So, Chasing the sun 1 & 2 was concocted to overblow the Boks image on the back of a corruptly obtained “win". It's marketing ploy to force the Boks delusion as the World's Best. I guess World Rugby is also not to be believed when it came out with an apology about how the final was officiated. And if the 2023 final such a superb game by the Boks, then the Boks crying about Referee Bryce Lawrence for decades is also deserves a laugh. Chase the sun and get burned like a moth. A very well written literary piece that tore the Boks and Chasing the sun farce to shreds. 🖤All Blacks🏉
152 Go to commentsI’d say France was far more hard done by in the 2011 final than the All Blacks in this game. Joubert simply refused to call a penalty against the All Blacks in the last quarter even directing an All Black to drop a ball he picked up in an offside position rather than penalizing him. This article also totally discounts the efforts of PSTD. Ask Jordie how well he played. Or the backup flank who played hooker for the entire game. Siya was also a brilliant tackle by Richie from scoring a blinder. Pollard was also fantastic. Look I don’t like the boks style but the only thing more questionable than the content of this article is the timing of it. Get over it already
152 Go to commentsDad Marty was also a handy rugby player for Linwood back in the day. Great bloke. Sensational softball career.
2 Go to commentsWhat ifs are always dangerous. If you look at the game before Sam cane got sent of SA was dominating. You could make the argument the going down to 14 men rallied the troops and made them have to play to win which is always dangerous.
152 Go to commentsOmg… you are bruised And battered Benny. Stop crying … the scoreboard speaks. What a pathetic lover you are.. 🤣🤣🤣
152 Go to commentsPacific Lions, cry me a river
152 Go to commentsThis is the single worst piece of journalism I have ever seen since your last one. As a neutral, who really states that there should be an asterisk next to a win? You are an utter embarrassment to real AB fans, journalism and that joke of a house which pays you for this nonsense. Get a life, Ben.
152 Go to commentsGuys. Cancel the World Cup champions after this analysis. It changes everything. Ben knows. We’ll have to unengrave the Bokke off the trophy and hand it to the ABs, now that I’ve been enlightened about this illegitimate win. This needs to be done. Now!
152 Go to commentsBen is right here though, Springboks were woefully poor with the advantage they had throughout this game. The France match was heroic because that was an even contest this match had it taken place in Rugby Championship would have been an easy win for NZ. If anything this match should tell the Bok coaches that a lot of this team should be changed. They beat this same NZ team by record margin with the same circumstances but with a different core. They bring back the tried and tested guys and they nearly botch this game.
152 Go to commentsI knew who wrote this article from the first few words in the headline…lol. The red card actually did the ABs a favour. It galvanized them, only then did they step up a gear. Before that there was zero momentum.
152 Go to commentsFirstly the foul on Bongi was a planned move just like the NZ master plan with Bryce Lawrence you kiwis are filthy fux perhaps try to play a cleaner game next time I doubt that’s possible tho but don’t worry world rugby is on yr side they trying to take away all the BOKS strengths to help all you weakling as Jeremy Clarkson would say LA OO ZA ERR..🤣
152 Go to commentsAbsolutely spot on Ben. I certainly wouldn't gloat over a win like that. Frustrating as it is it's done and dusted and history will forever show the result.
152 Go to commentsHo hum.
152 Go to commentsNo question they were the better team. But that is the beauty of sport isn’t it!
152 Go to commentsEveryone is into Hurling in Ireland according to Porter, but only 11 of Ireland's 32 counties enter a team into the national competition. Same old blarney.
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