Editorial: Let’s support whatever squad Seruvakula announces today

Today, the interim Flying Fijians head coach Senirusi Seruvakula will be announcing the 32-member squad for the inaugural Nations Championship.

The Nations Championship- is where two groups of teams compete in a Northern versus Southern Hemisphere tournament format across six rounds, with three fixtures in July and again in November.

This is before culminating in the Finals Weekend to decide the dominant nation and balance of power between the rugby hemispheres, every two years.

In the Nations Championship, every point, result and match matters, to every team. It is bringing together the 12 biggest international rugby teams in the world, packed with the best players in the sport, competing to win the rugby’s newest title.

The opening round on July 4, sees the Flying Fijians taking on Wales at the Cardiff City Stadium followed by the Flying Fijians battling against England on July 11 at Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool before locking horns with Scotland on July 18 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh.

In the second round the Flying Fijians take on France in Lyon on November 7, then Ireland on November 14 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin followed by the November 21 clash against Italy in Udine.

The finals weekend will be played in London, England, from November 27-29.

Seruvakula has already released the names of the 50-member Flying Fijians squad last month and he has been monitoring their performances in the different levels of rugby they are playing in all around the globe.

He has included veteran players like Levani Botia, Sam Matavesi, Nathan Hughes, Pita Gus Sowavuka, Semi Radradra, Josua Tuisova, Mesake Doge, Peni Ravai, Seta Tamanivalu and Manasa Mataele.

As always, many will not see eye-to-eye with Seruvakula’s selection as they unable to understand that the head coach always has the final say.

What is important here is for us to support whatever team that is named by Seruvakula. As head coach, he knows the type of players needed for the job.

And surely enough, these players are not going to let our nation down.

So, let’s get behind Seruvakula and the Flying Fijians in this important assignment where the experience gained will surely come handy in next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.