Vern Cotter has laid down the marker for the new season.

And with the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France the ultimate focus, the Flying Fijians head coach said they were several components they need to work hard on in 2021 if they are to achieve the impossible and not playing second fiddle again.

Cotter said beating Georgia 38-24 in the Autumn Nations Cup at Murrayfield, Scotland on December 6 was just the start.

“When we apply effort constantly we are a constant threat,”he said.

“There are several components we need to work hard on if we are to do the impossible.”

The Fijians are again pooled with Australia and Wales. They have been pooled together since the 2007 RWC, again in 2015 and last year in Japan.

Except for the 2007 RWC where the Flying Fijians upset Wales, they have been coming out second best since 2015.

Cotter said they are also going to work one on one with players.

“Our work ons are all over the park,” he said.

“We need to continue awareness of the impact of correct nutrition.

“We need players to be fit to sustain mental and physical toughness.”

Cotter is keeping a close tab on the performance of our Flying Fijians in Europe.

Radradra at No.13, Naulago at No.14

Special attention will be on captain Semi Radradra who plays for Bristol tomorrow against Harlequins at The Stoop.

The Bears make five changes from the line-up that beat Connacht last weekend.

At No.13, Radradra is the only change to the backline and fellow Fijian Siva Naulago will play wing in his second match of the Gallagher Premiership Rugby.

Radradra hasn’t featured for the club since the European Challenge Cup final in October, and the centre is relishing his Bears return.

“To be involved in this week’s game is a big challenge for me – I haven’t played for the Bears since the Challenge Cup final, so it’s going to be a big challenge for me, and I’ll just try to do the best I can on the field,”Radradra said.

“Quins are very tough and having played Racing last week, they will try to come hard at us. We need to stay in the fight and hopefully, give them a good game.

“Our goal is to come up with the win every week, so we take it game by game. The boys did a really good job last week against Connacht, and for this week, it’s a big challenge, especially against Quins.”

The newly appointed Fiji captain has been in the West Country for little under six months, since making the summer switch from Bordeaux, and says he has settled in nicely at his new club.

“I’m settling in very well and get along with the boys. I’ve had a chance to look around Bristol and being in the Bristol Bears environment has been very different and you can feel the vibe from everyone.

“Everything is new for me, especially the structure and the game plan and I’ve had to adapt to the Bears situation and the Bears environment. I’m finding pretty easy to settle in, thanks to the help of everyone – the coaching staff and the boys and it’s great to be a part of the Bears family.”

Edited by Osea Bola

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