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'The Islands are the future': Fiji ready for expanded Rugby Championship
In their first match against the All Blacks since 2011, Fiji on Saturday evening produced a thoroughly entertaining and competitive performance in Dunedin, only succumbing to a 57-23 defeat after a ruthless final quarter by the home side.
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The Flying Fijians brought physicality, structure and tempo to the test and troubled the All Blacks for the best part of an hour. The side’s lack of preparation time as a squad leading up to the test seemingly did not show, as some nicely worked interchanges saw them rack up three tries in 60 minutes.
Considering some of the names missing from the Fijian squad for this two-test Steinlager Series with the All Blacks, head coach Vern Cotter will most likely be pleased with how his side represented themselves, both on and off the pitch on Saturday.
The likes of Semi Radradra (included in the Fijian sevens squad for the Tokyo Olympics), Lyon’s Josua Tuisova and Edinburgh’s Viliame Mata all superstar names missing from the roster this time around. Not to mention players included in Cotter’s squad unable to make the journey from Australia to meet up with the team due to COVID-19 outbreaks – Frank Lomani, Mosese Sorovi and Teti Tela all desperately unlucky to miss out this time around.
Since their last clash with the All Blacks at Carisbrook back in 2011, Fiji have gone on to register wins over Scotland and France, and have also proved very competitive at both the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.
With Japan looking to further their potential as a rugby nation off the back of a pool-topping outing at their home World Cup in 2019 by expanding into The Rugby Championship by 2024, fans were quick to suggest Fiji should follow them in a ‘Southern 6 Nations’ type competition.
Southern 6 nations is so damn obvious it's ridiculous. Adding Japan and Fiji and going to home/away every other year would be the making of the rugby championship. Can't understand how it's taking so long to happen. #NZLvFIJ
— Breifne Kingdom (@BreifneKingdom) July 10, 2021
I’d love to see Fiji (and Japan for that matter) added to the Rugby Championship so we could see these matches more often!
I caveat that with we’d need to see the full Fijian side released to play but that would be box office!#NZLvFIJ
— The Travelling Reserve (@TravelReserve) July 10, 2021
Rugby union would be crazy not to include as much Pacific Nation expansion as they can. Watching Fiji stand up against the All Blacks and get no support from international rugby is a disgrace. The Islands are the future of contact sport @mase21 #NZLvFIJ
— The Take with Willie Mason (@MasonsTake) July 10, 2021
I'm happy we are getting another game next week. We absolutely need more regular test matches between these two nations. #NZLvFIJ
— Jordan Patu (@Jordan_Patu) July 10, 2021
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Fiji have all the raw materials to be a very good side, but their game management lets them down at times. Too many aimless kicks that are neither to compete or find grass.
The more time they spend together playing top teams, the better they’ll get! #NZLvFIJ
— The Travelling Reserve (@TravelReserve) July 10, 2021
Fiji's best ever result against the All Blacks:
– 34 is smallest losing margin (previous lowest was 46)
– 23 is most points scored (18)
– 57 is fewest conceded (60)#NZLvFIJ— James (@jrodbourn) July 10, 2021
Imagine if @fijirugby consistently played June&November Tests, how good they would be!@WorldRugby needs to do more!#NZLvFIJ
— Let's Be Fair (@Dlidlozi) July 10, 2021
Fiji’s head coach Vern Cotter argued his side had shown enough to warrant more games against Tier 1 opposition, with just eight points separating Fiji from the All Blacks heading into the final twenty-odd minutes.
“If you can get those games more often, you get to measure yourself against the best teams more often, you will improve. That kind of competition does improve them,” he said.
“I think they’ve shown enough in this game to be offered opportunities to play those games, I hope so. It will be a great challenge to further develop the Fijian talent.
“There is some talent from the Island that need exposure. There are a lot of things to develop Fiji Rugby to be up there, but they’ve got amazing, explosive athletes. And it is a joy to watch them play.
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“To see them more often against good teams, it will be great.”
Currently, Fiji compete in the Pacific Nations Cup, a tournament aimed at improving the competitiveness of tier-two nations. They have won the competition five times in the last decade.
The topic of promotion and relegation is a frequent point of discussion for fans and pundits of the Six Nations, which begs the question whether Fiji, with its host of European superstars, would benefit from inclusion into The Rugby Championship for regular competition against tier-one opposition.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“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.
24 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
4 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.
10 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 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)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments