EYEING WORLD CUP
Captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu says team still has a lot of work to do
The Fiji Airways Flying Fijians are focused on building a strong team for the Rugby World Cup in September.
Speaking after their 17-26 loss to the
Maori All Blacks in Rotorua last night, captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu said they had done well and playing the Maori on their turf was not easy.
“We’ll take what is positive from this game and work on it,” he said.
“We got a big squad going to the World Cup campaign. We’ve got a lot of boys who have got something to prove and a big rotation for game one and game two. “Every game is an opportunity for the boys as they all want to go to the World Cup.”
The Flying Fijians leave for Narita, Japan, today.
They will take on Japan on July 27, 2019, at the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium, in the first of the Pacific Nations Cup (PNC) series.
The Fiji Airways Flying Fijians continued where they left off last week with another good show at the Rotorua International Stadium, last night. After winning the first encounter 27-10 in Suva last week, the teams shared the Pacific Test Series with the Maori All Blacks winning 2617.
The 13,000 plus fans enjoyed the quality of rugby displayed and as expected, lived up to expectations. It was a game in which both teams tried to make a statement of intent.
For some Maori All Blacks, the match could very well double as a final audition for a spot in the All Blacks’ World Cup calculations. But to the majority of players and fans it was a perfect opportunity to reclaim lost glory after the loss in Suva last week
For the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians, it was an opportunity for the players to get game time ahead of the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup and the Rugby World Cup in Japan and grab a chance and make a strong statement.
In his bid to test out his squad in the first two games, head coach John McKee should be happy with players getting quality game time. The Fijians buckled in the second half brought about by the number of changes made.
The Maori ABs turned the screw in the scrums and wheeled it to their advantage.
It was evident the team was less experienced than the one which played last week and the combinations were not as slick. But this is a great opportunity to get quality action before Japan next week and the Rugby World Cup in September. Wing Filipo Nakosi and centre Waisea Nayacalevu are solidifying their positions after another good performance.
Loosemen Dominiko Waqaniburotu
and Mosese Voka are always in the thick of battle while locks Tevita Ratuva and Api Ratuniyarawa played well.
It was another good effort from the Flying Fijians but being on the wrong side of the scoreboard matters little.
It’s how we fared and experienced quality game time against a quality team which matters most. 15 Kini Murimurivalu- Solid in defence but could not showed his class on attack-5.5/10
14 Patrick Osborne- Covers his space well, more game time needed: 6/10
13 Waisea Nayacalevu- Another strong performance: 8/10
12 Jale Vatubua- Good defensive game 6.5/10
11.Filipo Nakosi- Takes some stopping, another good show: 7.5/10
10: Alivereti Veitokani- Showed his class but needs to work on his kicking game; 6.5/10
9. Henry Seniloli- Connected well, needs to up pace of game; 6.5;/10
8. Nemani Nagusa- Played a solid game, stern in defence: 7/10
7. Mosese Voka- Showed his class in general play one of the best performers: 7/10
6: Dominiko WaqaniburotuPlayed a captain’s game: 7/10 5 Apisalome Ratuniyarawa– Good performance: 7/10
4 Tevita Ratuva– played a good game, more game time: 7/10 3 Lee-Roy Atalifo- Held his own upfront, need game time: 6.5/10
2 Veremalua Vugakoto- His weakness is finding the targets in the lineouts:6.5/10
1 Campese Ma’afu: A good scrummager, held his own upfront. 7/10. Meanwhile, the Maori AB U20 beat the Vodafone Fijian U20 43-31. in the curtainraiser.