Focus Scotland
We can beat Scots at Murrayfield: Waisea Nayacalevu It’s important for us to nail some results against tier one teams away from home: John McKee I see them as similar to Brazilian football. They have the best natural rugby players- Gregor Townsend
France-based Waisea Nayacalevu believes the John McKee coached Fiji Airways Flying Fijians have what it takes to defeat Scotland on Sunday. And McKee believes his men scoring their first away win against the Scots at Murrayfield will be a good build up to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Unavailable for selection due to injury, the Deuba, Serua native and playing for Stade Francais in the Top 14 competition, arrived for a break yesterday.
“It’s going to be a good matchup and Scotland is a very good team. But the Flying Fijians can beat them at Murrayfield,” he said. “Scotland is a very structured team so we need to be patient and do what we do best. Just do their best and make our country proud.”
First Away Win Target
McKee is predicting a crackerjack on Sunday.
He told The Scotsman “We approach every Test match with the belief that we can win the game.
“We have had successes over Scotland at home but it’s important for us to nail some results against tier one teams away from home because [to achieve] success in the World Cup… we are going to have to beat tier one teams away from Fiji.
“Scotland will certainly try to play an uptempo game against us. There are two teams with a positive attitude to play, it makes for an exciting game.”
Fiji the Brazil of rugby: Townsend
Blood, sweat, toil and tears was all Gregor Townsend was promising his players after the Scotland coach warned that things were not going to get any easier after his side finished second best in Cardiff losing 21-10 to Wales over the weekend. Townsend told The Scotsman;
“I believe they are becoming a major threat.
“I really believe – and I hope it’s not in the next couple of weeks – that they can beat any team in the world on their day. “They could have a brilliant World Cup. I see them as similar to Brazilian football. They have the best natural rugby players. “We are used to thinking of Fiji’s strength lying in their back division but the likes of 130kgs winger Nemani Naholo won’t be involved because
he is injured. Bordeaux’s Semi Radradra and Josua Tuisova of Toulon are both class acts who will crush any would-be tackler who doesn’t get their technique spot on but, perhaps for the first time in their history, Fiji can boast several world-class forwards. Racing’s Leone Nakarawa is a known quantity from his time spent in Glasgow, and Edinburgh fans understand the danger posed by No.8 Viliame Mata with the ball in hand.” Townsend insisted there were others. “We know that Leone Nakawara was voted the best player in Europe last year. “Peceli Yato, they just call him Yato I think, is a backrow at Clermont and must be one of the best back-row forwards in the world. “And then the backline are all outstanding. I don’t think Niko [Matawalu] is in the squad and he scored three tries on Friday night, which shows you what kind of strength they have. “They’ve got really good coaches. It’s a huge challenge.”