Two debutants in XV as Fiji change 6 for PNC opener from Scotland victory

Fiji head coach Mick Byrne has made six changes, five of which are in the backline, for their first match of the Asahi Super Dry Pacific Nations Cup against Tonga on Saturday in Suva from the one that triumphed over Scotland last month.

The starting XV, led by hooker Tevita Ikanivere, contains two debutants, flanker Etonia Waqa – the only change in the pack –, and centre Tuidraki Samusamuvodre. Flanker Motikai Murray and wing Taniela Rakuro could make their debuts from the bench.

Scrum-half Philip Baselala is set to make his first Test start at the age of 20, where he will partner Caleb Muntz, who kicked seven points in the 29-14 victory over Gregor Townsend’s side.

The backline is shorn of some of its superstars with Top 14 players unavailable. With Racing 92’s Josua Tuisova, Bayonne’s Sireli Maqala and Lyon-bound Jiuta Wainiqolo unavailable, as well as Shizuoka Blue Revs’ Semi Radradra out injured after originally being named in Fiji’s squad, this provides an opportunity for other players to impress against a Tonga side that triumphed over Samoa 30-16 last week.

After naming his PNC squad last month, Byrne said: “When bringing young players into a tournament, you need experienced leaders around them to guide their development. Having world-class players like Bill Mata and Seta Tamanivalu creates the perfect environment for these rising talents. Even someone like Kitione Salawa, who has been in the setup for a few years, is still refining his game at this level. The key is ensuring these young players learn what it takes to perform at the elite level every single day.”

“We need to revisit our systems from the July Tests. Our set piece improved as the series progressed, and we’ll continue building in that area. Breakdown work and ball retention will be key focuses. Defensively, we’ve made significant strides compared to last year, but we must be more clinical in finishing opportunities when we’re in attacking positions.”