Fiji Airways Flying Fijians players and officials in their dressing room after the 21-14 win over France at the Stade de France, Paris on November 25, 2018. Photo: Mesulame Dolokoto
The Fiji Airways Flying Fijians made a statement and the world took notice.
Out of all November internationals, the first win over France (21-14) stood out as the most significant for more reasons than one.
Toppling one the rugby heavyweights changed the pecking order with Fiji now 8th, relegating France and Argentina to 9th and 10th respectively.
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Flooring one of the traditional powerhouses of the game is also a win for tier two rugby nations. Interestingly, with the 2019 Rugby World Cup set for September, it’s not the first time tier two countries have punched above their weight in the four-yearly competition.
Fiji beat Wales at the 2007 RWC, Tonga upset France at the 2011 RWC while Japan pulled off a memorable win over the Springboks at the 2015 RWC.
The alteration of the top end of rugby's pecking order will make the World Cup interesting.
The Fijians showed that with the right mix of skill, passion, commitment and discipline, rugby giants can fall. It’s an important achievement and the onus is on the John McKee-coached side to keep the consistency, which means preparations are important building up to the RWC. We have never beaten Australia, who we meet in Sapporo, Japan, on September 21, in 63 years. That’s another challenge.
We have ample time to prepare for the global event and compete with the best. Fans can look forward, support and hope our Flying Fijians punch above their weight again in the Land of the Rising Sun.
OSEA BOLA
