TEST RUGBY SPECIAL
■We’ve been talking particularly to Fiji and we certainly very keen to line up and play them-Ian Foster ■We need to field our strongest side ever and learn from a-once-in-alifetime opportunity-John O’Connor.
The All Blacks are keen to play the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians in October, says Ian Foster.
The All Blacks head coach revealed the onus would be on the Fiji Rugby Union putting a team together because most players are based in Europe with Top 14, Premiership
Rugby and PRO-14 competitions are yet to start.
Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor confirmed yesterday talks were ongoing and the test would only eventuate if they could put together a strongest side to face the All Blacks.
Foster made the revelations to Newstalk ZB as his management took another pay cut as New Zealand Rugby continue to suffer the impact of the COVID-19 crisis.
The All Blacks aren’t likely to take the field until at least October, with tentative plans to take on the Wallabies in a four-match Bledisloe Cup series, and although Super Rugby Aotearoa has boosted NZR’s coffers, the organisation is still having to farewell 25 per cent of its workforce.
Player release
Among the revenue-gathering options on the table are cross-code clash against the Kangaroos. Another potential option could be taking on Pacific Island nations; something Foster confirmed as a possibility, albeit one which still has hurdles to overcome.
“We’ve been talking particularly to Fiji. One of their problems is that a lot of their top players are still tied up in European clubs, and because the European club window is still undecided at the moment, they won’t get released to play internationals until the clubs are really clear about what their windows are,”Foster said.
“It’s a matter of being fair to the Pacific Islanders and allowing them to find out what they can get their players – but we certainly are very keen to line up and play them.”
The Flying Fijians were scheduled to play the All Blacks XV in Canada in October 2020 before their Europe tour in November for the matches against Wales and the France Barbarians.
But O’Connor said the rugby landscape has changed since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Learn from best
“Talks are ongoing with a game against the All Blacks, not the All Blacks XV, prior to the Bledisloe Cup series against the Wallabies,”O’Connor said.
“It’s a test match and we need to field a strongest team ever to take on the might of the All Blacks.
“It depends on whether we can assemble a formidable team as most of the players are based in Europe.
“We don’t want to play to get humiliated but learn from a once in a lifetime opportunity building up to the 2023 Rugby World Cup.”
Fiji lost 0-91 to the All Blacks in Albany, North Harbour the last time the teams played in 2005.