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'The mindset's changed': Fiji no longer satisfied with narrow losses
A historic win over England at Twickenham put Wales and the rest of Pool C on notice, the Flying Fijians are a different beast at this World Cup.
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Fiji came tantalisingly close to claiming a win over the Welsh in round one, with one try in it, they knocked a difficult pass on just metres from the line in the dying moments of the match.
The Fijian team had earned their points through extended minutes in Wales’ 22, building huge pressure that eventually resulted in a yellow card to Corey Domachowski.
In many metrics and measures, Fiji deserved the win.
Traditionally, Fiji’s backs have been some of the most explosive and talented in the business, but their forwards have struggled when squaring off with the powerhouse nations.
Now though, new coach Simon Raiwalui has his men opting for lineout drives and setting an impressive platform for those dangerous backs.
“They were there,” Manu Samoa legend Tuilagi Alesana Tuilagi said on Sky Sport’s RWC on Island. “But, a couple of mistakes, giving the ball away, decision making, easy (turnovers).”
The mistakes contributed to a 32-14 Wales lead 66 minutes into the game, but Fiji mounted a spirited comeback. Two tries in the final 10 minutes brought the lead back to six with time to spare.
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“Don’t you think that the mindset’s changed?” All Black great Kevin Mealamu added. “There was a time when our Pacific island teams used to go up there it was like, if they finish close, well done. That would be enough.
“But now, I think we were going into that game thinking this is a winnable game.”
That will again be the attitude in this week’s contest against Australia. The Wallabies scored a thorough 35-15 win over Georgia to open their World Cup campaign on a strong note.
They will likely be without the services of damaging prop Taniela Tupou, and are confirmed to be missing first choice halfback Tate McDermott.
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If Fiji are to make it to the quarter-final stages, they will have to beat Australia. Mealamu made his case for a Fiji win.
“I just think what we saw at the end of their last game is that when they were on attack, when they are going forward they play this game, we know they can keep the ball alive. The hardest teams to defend are teams where there’s always a broken defence where you can’t just set (the defence).
“They’ve got so many weapons across the board. We were talking, how many times, just take the scrum, give it to (Josua) Tuisova. One-on-one, easy try. Every time.
“These are the threats that they pose and if they can get their game and play in the right part of the field, we might see, not an upset but something we weren’t all expecting.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Speell cehck
1 Go to commentsColeman is gaawwwwnnn.
1 Go to commentsnext SA head coach?
3 Go to commentsGreat try by van Poortvliet.
1 Go to commentsThey have been cruelled by injuries but almost nobody (Sevu Reece and Fletcher Newell big exceptions) has played above himself which regularly happened before. Surely Scott Robertson had maintained the recruitment programme and it looks like a reasonable squad. Last in this competition will stall a lot of careers. Penny seems likeable. But it’s not enough even though this was better. We haven’t been good enough and it’s not helped by the “it’s been 15 years since… “etc “after nearly every match. Seems somehow a soft gifting of something once valuable. Kieran Read giving comments last week almost choked describing the easy surrender of possession by the forwards. I’d love to think that the senior players some of whom are back can show enough pride in the jersey to test the Blues next week.
3 Go to commentsWho will Joe select for the back three with so many in form candidates? Just hope he doesn’t get shafted like Dave Rennie and to a lesser extent Deans.
6 Go to commentsAlways reluctant to blame a coach when losses rack up, but Penney must go. The backline is dysfunctional and the coach must carry the can. No cohesion, no idea and in many cases, minimal skill. The trains out of Roma St depart faster than the ball from Crusaders’ set pieces. Wouldn’t be surprised if the forwards went on strike.
3 Go to commentsAdding to earlier comment. Cullen Grace has been playing great at no6. Lio-Willie , who was on fire a few weeks ago, had a bad game. I think Cullen should have been moved to 8 earlier, Dominic Gardiner on earlier. Feel for Quinten Strange , put in a big shift .
6 Go to commentsWe dominated the scrums Ben Curry was all over pitch again .Surely James Harper got to be one of best English tightheads
1 Go to commentsRoos is a better option at 6 than 8 for the boks. Needs to work on his windgat though.
1 Go to commentsThe Sharks’ 2nd team maybe?
1 Go to comments‘radical’
1 Go to commentsCome back to Christchurch Robbie, please!
1 Go to commentsI think there is zero chance Sam Cane will be selected for another Test. There is simply no point except sentimentality. Razor is not sentimental- ask Wyatt Crocket. Razor is a ruthless selector
5 Go to comments> It would be best described as an elegant solution to what was potentially going to be a significant problem for new All Blacks coach Scott Robertson. It is a problem the mad population of New Zealand will have to cope with more and more as All Blacks are able to continue their careers in NZ post RWCs. It will not be a problem for coaches, who are always going to start a campaign with the captain for the next WC in mind. > Cane, despite his warrior spirit, his undoubted commitment to every team he played for and unforgettable heroics against Ireland in last year’s World Cup quarter-final, was never unanimously admired or respected within New Zealand while he was in the role. Neither was McCaw, he was considered far too passive a captain and then out of form until his last world cup where everyone opinions changed, just like they would have if Cane had won the WC. > It was never easy to see where Cane, or even if, he would fit into Robertson’s squad given the new coach will want to be building a new-look team with 2027 in mind. > Cane will win his selections on merit and come the end of the year, he’ll sign off, he hopes, with 100 caps and maybe even, at last, universal public appreciation for what was a special career. No, he won’t. Those returning from Japan have already earned the right to retain their jersey, it’s in their contract. Cane would have been playing against England if he was ready, and found it very hard to keep his place. Perform, and they keep it however. Very easy to see where Cane could have fit, very hard to see how he could have accomplished it choosing this year as his sabbatical instead of 2025, and that’s how it played out (though I assume we now know what when NZR said they were allowing him to move his sabbatical forward and return to NZ next year, they had actually agreed to simply select him for the All Blacks from overseas, without any chance he was going to play in NZ again). With a mammoth season of 15 All Black games they might as well get some value out of his years contract, though even with him being of equal character to Richie, I don’t think they should guarantee him his 100 caps. That’s not what the All Blacks should be about. He absolutely has to play winning football.
5 Go to commentswhat’s happening to Ian Peel?
1 Go to commentsAs a Crusaders fan , so disappointed , again.But I think Fergus Burke was all class for the Crusaders in his first game since October last year. Fletcher Newell , was so good at prop. Johnny McNicoll has been gold since returning from Wales. Noah Hotham brilliant , in a coming of age second season for the Crusaders.Jone Rova did really well at centre. The end of the game was tough.Sevu Reece , what a game/season in tough times.
6 Go to commentsFellas a balloon
3 Go to commentsBlues B team on display and made no race of it. By far the best team in SR with the Hurricanes barely getting past the winning post. Up the Blues 💙
7 Go to commentsWould be amazing to have Servette Genève reaching this level
3 Go to comments