Nations Championship Preview - Flying Fijans

Jeremy Lardner (0:01)

I begin this episode by paying respect to the Ngunnawal and Nambri people, the traditional custodians of the land on which this podcast is produced. I pay respect to their elders, past, present, and emerging, and I extend that same respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander listeners of this podcast.

Thank you. Welcome to the Dua Moana Pasifika Rugby Podcast, where we bring you Pasifika voices talking Pasifika rugby. I'm your host Jeremy, and this is the preview for Fiji's November leg of the Nations Championship Competition. Now, when Fiji come out in Lyon, the man at the back of the sprut will have 22 England caps. Be about to earn his first for Fiji. A few meters away is Akili Rambutu will be making his first test start at Fly Half with Simi Kurovoli inside him. And on the other side of the halfway line, Antoine de Pont. We're going to learn plenty about this Fijian combination very, very quickly. France is first, then Ireland in Dublin, and then Italy, Inudine.

And before we finish, I want to take you to Cork, because the Fijian Latui have two matches there this month. One of the players in that squad is a hooker from Kandawu. His story says a lot about what this program could do for provincial players back in home.

Now, Fiji come into November with a 34 to 28 win over Japan in Tokyo. Jake White's first match in charge. That was a separate test. In the Nations Championship itself, Fiji lost all three July games against Wales, England, and Scotland. So the win in Tokyo gives White something to build on. Leon is where Fiji get their first chance to change their position in this competition. The thing I took from Tokyo was how Fiji finished. The team scored four tries each. Ben Voller Voller kicked two 2nd half penalties. And those six points, they were the difference. When you've got that much ability to score from distance, it can be tempting to think the next big break will win you the game. In Tokyo, Fiji took the points when they were on offer and made Japan chase. There was plenty to work on too. Japan got joy from the line out more. And the match stats had Fiji losing six of their own line outs.

Think about what that does to a fly half. You kick to the corner, you got two or three moves you want to run, and suddenly you're turning around to defend. Against France, the quality of the ball Fiji win from touch will tell us as much about the attack as anything Rambito does with it.

Up front, it's Irani Maui, Captain Tex Ikanivere, and Luke Tangi. Misaki Wodewode, and I saw Nasile Silla, either locks, Pidigas Sawakula wears six, Kirione Salawa in seven, and then Nathan Hughes starts at the back of the scrum at number eight. Simi Kuruvoli, and Iskieli Rambutu are the halves. Hambosi is at 12, Masi is at 13, Waningolo and Ravutamanda are on the wings, and then you've got the live wire, Sir Lesu Raiasi at full back. On the bench, it's Zoriel Dongiatama, Penny Ravai, Ravu Iwasa, Baseli Ato, Elia Vanakavatta, Frank Lomani, Ben Vallavalla, and Sirili Mangala.

Now I want to talk about Nathan Hughes a little bit. Hughes was born in Fiji and played 22 tests for England between 2016 and 2019 Now at 35, he's set to play for his country at birth. World Rugby's change of unions rules have opened that door for him, and he's taking advantage. Leon is a big stage for a first cap in the white jersey, even for someone who knows test rugby, as well as Hughes does. The first thing I'll watch is what Hughes does at the base of the scrum under pressure. Can he get the ball out cleanly to buy Kuduvoli half a second? Then watch his first couple of carries off the nine. If he gets over the game line and Fiji clear the ruck quickly, Kuduvoli can pass while the French forwards are still getting back onside. That's when Rambutu gets to have a look at the defense before it's in his face. I'm also really interested in how Hughes and Sawakula share the work. If France know which one is carrying every time, they can stack defenders around him. But use one to carry and let the other offer a short option off the next phase. And the defense has two decisions to make. And somebody still has to get to the ruck early. Salawa's work around those first contacts could have a big say in whether Fiji get to play at the speed that they'll want to play against France.

Biato and the big man Danakaevata off the bench give wide options to keep the forward carries coming late in a match. That matters against the French bench with six forwards, including Malvaca and Olyvonne. The question for Fiji in the last 20 is whether they can still win the next collision and give their halves the same quality of ball that they'll be getting in the first 20 minutes of the match.