War of attrition
THE late television commentator Bill McLaren was known to describe a motivated Fijian team in gutsy defensive mode as “South Seas Islanders sailing into their tackles like men possessed”.
We are expecting nothing less from the 2019 Flying Fijians as they prepare for a war of attrition against the Wallabies in the Rugby World Cup opener at Sapporo.
They did it against France last year and the Frenchmen lost their composure and were rattled into making mistakes. Michael Cheika has only made one change from the Wallaby side that humbled the All Blacks in the Bledisloe 47-26 victory. They were not rattled as the Kiwis let them run riot.
If the Flying Fijians give the same leeway for Cheika’s men they will also run riot at Sapporo.
The only equaliser is to cut them down to earth with bone-shattering tackles as aggressive defence has always been the Fijian weapon to tame the opposition.
As expected by the Flying Fijians coaching team two of the world’s best openside flankers Michael Hooper and David Pocock have been named to spearhead the Wallabies attack today.
Cheika has named the same lineup that beat the New Zealand All Blacks with Pocock the only change.
With Isi Naisarani at number eight, Nic White at halfback and Christian Leilefano at flyhalf means Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is not leaving anything to chance. He wants to annihilate Fijians high hopes and aspirations and send out a warning to other challengers for the cup title.
Assistant Flying Fijians coach Tabai Matson revealed that they had expected Pocock and Hooper in the first lineup and the Aussies to play their expansive attacking rugby.
Fiji loose forwards Peceli Yato, Dominiko Waqaniburotu, Viliame Mata will have their hands full and the physicality of the Fijians against the old warhorses will be a feature of the RWC clash.
Top Fijian openside flanker Semi Kunatani who was injured against Tonga has been devastating in both defence and attacks in his appearances for Fiji but the massive Yato is as capable and will display what he has against two of the best custodians of the openside flanker position in world rugby.
Local based Mosese Voka is the loose forward reserve.
The battle for possession in the breakdowns will be the lovo pit and the main key areas and these men will fight for every blade of grass.
Naisarani has played the last four games as first choice number eight and Cheika has faith in his ground-gaining runs to set up attacking phases.
Fiji’s Frank Lomani has improved tremendously in his defence in the last warm-up match against Tonga and the Aussies have decided to launch their attack from where Fiji had been proven vulnerable in big matches and that is around the breakdowns.
Pockock was instrumental in Australia’s two tries eventuating from lineout mauls in the 2015 RWC but our boys have been working hard to neutralize this area.
McKee’s men have had mixed fortunes in recent matches. According to Head coach and editor of Rugby Coach Weekly Dan Cottrell, defending the lineout can mean you challenge for the ball with a jump, or remain on the ground to compete more effectively at the subsequent maul.
“When you are defending a lineout maul to score, watch what teams do to prevent a score. For example, some teams try to have one of the players work their way around the back of the maul while retaining their bind.
“How do they do that while still presenting a positive picture to the referee?
“Two more common ways you will be more likely to see:
“The drive at the moment the jumping pod puts the jumper onto the ground. This is the weakest time as the lifters haven’t taken a strong body position. Timing needs to look good to the referee. Creating a front row of four players in scrummaging positions to drive back the maul. You don’t want to see any heads. The width helps prevent small shifts in the driving point. The most dangerous teams will use a shift-drive, where they move the ball to another point in the maul.
It’s worth watching how the best sides aim to counter this.”
A tactical move by McKee is Semi Radradra who moves to the wing allowing Waisea Nayacalevu to come at outside centre while an unexpected move has seen the fullback position filled by Kini Murimurivalu instead of Alivereti Veitokani.
The Aussies in 2017 exploited Murimurivalu’s lack of jumping skills to hoist high balls to him and for Isireli Folau to score tries and he missed two tackles which led to two other tries after he was caught running back late from midfield. He has shown some improvement on his positional play and defence recently and we cannot afford a weak link as it will spell disaster against a powerful Wallabies side.
However, because of his support play he is probably expected by McKee to spark counter-attacking moves from the back which Veitokani has not been able to do in recent games as he was well marked.
McKee needs a long range rocket from the back to fire up the Fijian running rugby flair in the front and Murimurivalu has been given that task.
Saturday will also be a momentous occasion for World Cup debutants Veremalua Vugakoto, Eroni Mawi, Tevita Ratuva, Mosese Voka and Alivereti Veitokani who will be ready to impact off the bench alongside Manasa Saulo, Nikola Matawalu and veteran Vereniki Goneva.
“It’s been pleasing to see every player put their hand up to earn their spot. Every person knows the job they have to do and I’m sure they’ll be looking forward with excitement and anticipation to the challenge on Saturday,” McKee said.
When Fiji toured Australia in 1952 to help revive rugby union, the forecast by Australian and NSW Rugby Union president Justice Herron that the visitors would be a ‘blood transfusion to Australian Rugby Union’ was quickly fulfilled.
Fiji’s flamboyant rugby caught Australia by storm and while only 4000 watched the New Zealand Test against the Wallabies in 1951 around 42,000 came to watch the 1952 2nd test between a rejuvenated Australia and Fiji.
Sixty seven years later after the Wallabies have won two Rugby World Cups in 1991 and 1999 then after many encounters which went in Australia’s favour and now rated third best team in the world, the two teams meet again this time in a RWC opener at Sapporo Stadium in Japan.
Structured rugby had slowed down the Fijian game. But now that the Aussies are determined to play fast and furious rugby under sizzling 30 plus degrees Celsius in Sapporo it could be a “blood transfusion’’ to Fiji’s renowned flamboyant style of rugby.
Luckily the sunshine will be kept out of the enclosed stadium but the humidity will still be intense. Definitely this is a war of no retreat and no surrender with the victory going to the last man standing when the dust settles.
For our Flying Fijians they are against a lot of odds. But guts, aggressive defence and the killer instinct to execute try-scoring moves and all that which have been taught by the coaches should get them through.
Go Fiji go!