Flying Fijians adopt ‘go forward’ approach
VODAFONE FLYING FIJIANS AND COACH COTTER ADOPT A ‘GO FORWARD’ APPROACH TO MATCH ‘TORRID ENCOUNTER’
The Vodafone Flying Fijians and head coach Vern Cotter have adopted a “go forward” mentality as they prepare to face Tonga in their first Pacific Nations Cup match.
As preparations gain momentum, Flying Fijians like Waisea Nayacalevu (pictured), Josua Tuisova, Levani Botia and others have wasted no time to get involved in their contact sessions. Leone Cabenatabua
The Vodafone Flying Fijians have taken a ‘go forward’ approach in their Pacific Nations Cup opener against Tonga at the ANZ Stadium, Suva, on Saturday.
Flying Fijians head coach Vern Cotter said yesterday they have adopted that attitude because they were bracing themselves for a torrid encounter.
“The Tongans will be physical and confrontational,” Cotter said.
“We are going to focus on our game and play that Fijian rugby.”
Lyon winger Josua Tuisova joined the Flying Fijians on Wednesday night and wasted no time getting involved in their contact session.
Cotter said lock Leone Rotuisolia was nursing a knee injury and would not be available for Saturday, including Vilimoni Botitu, who arrives on Thursday.
Competitive PNC
Meanwhile, eight Wallabies are part of the Australia A side that arrived in Suva on Wednesday night.
This has made former All Blacks hooker James Parsons and exMaori All Blacks lock Joe Wheeler, unable to pick an outright PNC favourite in the latest episode of the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
Parsons suggested Fiji and Australia A might have a slight upper hand due to the cohesion within their respective squads, but the former two-test international refused to rule out Samoa and Tonga.
“It is going to be a doozy of a competition,” Parsons told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“You look at Seta Tamanivalu coming back for Fiji, and they’ve got such a strong, passionate brand of footy that they really love representing that we’ve sort of seen flow through to the Drua.
“We’ve seen the additions of the Samoan squad and the Tongan squad as well. It’s definitely not a deadest ride. I was actually trying to think who the favourite is. I was struggling to pick one.
“If anything, the one thing the Aussies will have, and the Fijians, is they’ve got a little bit more knowledge of each other. They’ve played together a little bit longer, so that may work in their favour.
“But, man, you look at the lineups of Samoa, and especially Tonga, if that forward pack can provide that front-foot ball for some of those livewires out wide for Tonga, they’ll be a real threat as well.”
Wheeler, meanwhile, made particular note of the potential midfield combinations that Tonga will be able to field.
He identified Fekitoa, Malakai Fetuli Paea and Solomone Kata as dangerous defensive threats for the ‘Ikale Tahi.
“They are stacked with talent, all these teams, and it’s going to be a great series,” Wheeler told the Aotearoa Rugby Pod.
“You mentioned that Tonga side, I’ll tell you one place where I wouldn’t be running, and that is down the midfield channel.
“Fetuli Paea, Solomone Kata and Malakai Fekitoa, you are running into boulder shoulders, all of them. That is like a worst nightmare for any football player running into any of those blokes.
“I would absolutely hate that, but, yeah, excitement machines across all of the teams.
“I look at the Samoan side, the continuity that they’ve got, the guys that have been playing together throughout the season, the Fijian side with all those players from the Drua, I just think they’re going to be so competitive across the board.
“You mentioned the eight players, ex-Wallabies, that are in the Australian A side, it’s going a doozy of a series and I think there’s going to be some big hits and some highlight reels, plenty of highlight reels, in that series.”