Editorial: July Tests

The FIJI Water Flying Fijians have completed their first phase of training in Welagi, Tave­uni.

This week, they are based in Nadi as they go through their second phase of training heading towards their opening July Test match against Tonga on Saturday, July 22, at Churchill Park in Lautoka.

They will then fly across to Apia to take on Manu Samoa on July 29 and then to Tokyo for the clash against Japan.

This is part of the Flying Fijians build-up towards the Rugby World Cup in France from September 8 to October 28.

Already, the Flying Fijians pool opponent Australia suffered a 43-12 drubbing at the hands of South Af­rica in Pretoria early yesterday morning.

That should be the least of our worries as we con­tinue our build-up step-by-step.

We all want to be part of a winning team, but re­alistically at this stage winning should be the least of our expectations, particularly in all our build-up Test matches to the RWC.

The priorities should be on the type of game we want to play and the importance of getting it right, with the players being on the same page with it. Then improving our set pieces, strengthening our defen­sive strategies and what other elements that are needed to lift our game to a higher notch.

This should be reflected where it mattered the most, which is at the Rugby World Cup.

We should learn from 2019, where the Flying Fiji­ans beat France, Maori All Blacks and Tonga in their build-up matches but did miserably where it counted the most (Rugby World Cup).

Not only were we beaten by Australia and Wales but suffered a 30-27 loss to minnows Uruguay.

Let’s keep the faith on our Flying Fijians despite whatever results that come our way during the July Test matches.

It’s best that we go into the RWC, as an underdog with that essence of unpredictability. This is one of the best ways we could topple the Tier One nations at the World Cup and make it past the pool games. Yes, we can.

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