‘We’ll Get Better’
■ There are little things to develop to get Fiji rugby up. They are amazing people, explosive athletes.-Cotter ■ “I think there is a fixture against Wales, those types of games will help us.” ■ Cotter eyes playing England at Twickenham next year.
Vern Cotter is optimistic of a better performance in the second Test against the All Blacks on Saturday.
And the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians head coach wants more tests against tier-one rugby countries for his men in future.
The Flying Fijians face the All Blacks in Hamilton after a good show in the first test in Dunedin last Saturday despite losing 23-57. The All Blacks led 21-11 at halftime.
“We want to get better, but it was a good start, I think with the spirit of the team, we can put up a better performance this week,” Cotter told Rugby Heaven.
“I know World Rugby wants to help tier-two nations to better and improve their rugby. So if more opportunities can be given, that will be great, we will take them.
“This game against the All Blacks is a great effort. We played against Georgia in November last year. We will just focus on what we doing and try and do that as best as possible.
“I don’t know if I can say we deserve anything, I think that’s another complex issue.
“COVID-19 is what that is affecting international rugby at the moment so I will be pleased if they feel that a fixture against England next year in November.
“I think there is a fixture against Wales, those types of games will help us.
“We are just like everybody else, looking at World Cup 2023, looking at programmes that get us the games that we need to be able to perform in that, that is the ultimate objective.
He said regular competition would be a good measure of a team’s development.
He indicated that the 23-57 loss showed a lot about the capability of Fijians.
“If we get those games more often, we get to measure yourselves against the best teams more often, you will improve,” he said.
“I think they have shown enough probably on this game to be offered more to play those teams.
“There are little things to develop to get Fiji rugby up
“They are amazing, explosive athletes.”