Fiji Tipped As World Cup ‘Dark Horses’

Former All Blacks hooker James Parsons has tipped Fiji to be the “dark horses” of next year’s World Cup following their emphatic Pacific Nations Cup win over Tonga last weekend.

Fiji held the new-look Tonga side – equipped with headline debutants such as Israel Folau, Malakai Fekitoa and Charles Piutau – scoreless as they romped to a 36-0 victory at HFC Bank Stadium in Suva last Saturday.

The result lifts the Flying Fijians to the top of the Pacific Nations Cup table heading into their second round match against Australia A in Lautoka today.

Vodafone Flying Fijians winger Josua Tuisova training at Albert Park, Suva, on July 7, 2022.Suva. Photo: Ronald Kumar

“[Against] a Tongan team that probably came with a lot of expectation, they did the business. It’s not just the tries, to be fair. They held them out to zero and there was a lot of attacking prowess there.”

The new-look Tongan outfit boasted stars Folau, Fekitoa and Piutau, all of whom had become available for the ‘Ikale Tahi under World Rugby’s new eligibility laws.

None of those three could help contain the well-oiled Flying Fijians, though, as the hosts –had an ex-All Black of their own in the form of debutant midfielder Seta Tamanivalu – kept the visitors scoreless all while running in five tries.

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