Coach Simon Raiwalui caught to a successful method and made just one injury-enforced change to the Fiji XV to face Georgia of their World Cup pool match on Saturday.
The Fijians have their destiny in their very own fingers with the prize a 3rd quarter-finals look – the primary since 2007.
Fiji opened their World Cup with a slim loss to Wales and adopted that with an emphatic victory over Australia to maneuver to second in Pool C with video games towards winless Georgia, on Saturday, and Portugal to return.
The Wallabies shut out their pool marketing campaign towards Portugal on Sunday.
Raiwalui mentioned Fiji had been taking the competitors “one match at a time”. “We respect every crew that we play. There isn’t any more durable or simpler recreation. Georgia is a really, very robust crew,” he mentioned.
“We all know them fairly properly,” he mentioned. “We’ve performed them very often. They’ll come out and be very bodily. Set piece will probably be a giant problem.
“They like to play with that physicality. One thing we love to do as properly.”
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Fiji could have had a 13-day hiatus since beating Australia. “The break got here at a superb time,” mentioned Raiwalui. “The boys had been a bit drained.”
The break didn’t give winger Jiuta Wainiqolo, who limped off with an ankle drawback simply after half time towards Australia, time to get better. He’s changed by Selestino Ravutaumada.
On the bench, prop Samu Tawake changed Mesake Doge who suffered a concussion shortly after approaching towards Australia.
Raiwalui ended his taking part in profession in France, with 4 seasons at Racing 92, and commenced his teaching profession guiding the pack on the similar membership earlier than taking over the identical position at Paris rivals Stade Francais and at Biarritz.
He mentioned Fiji are having fun with being the second-favourite crew for French followers, saying it was partly because of the variety of Fijians who play in France.
“We really feel the assist. You may hear it on the stadiums. We have now an actual reference to France,” he mentioned.
“It has rather a lot to do with the best way the boys play and the spirit they play in.”
Fiji – 15 Ilaisa Droasese, 14 Selestino Ravutaumada, 13 Waisea Nayacalevu (c), 12 Josua Tuisova, 11 Semi Radradra, 10 Teti Tela, 9 Simione Kuruvoli, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Levani Botia, 6 Lekima Tagitagivalu, 5 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, 4 Isoa Nasilasila, 3 Luke Tagi, 2 Samuel Matavesi, 1 Eroni Mawi.
Subs: 16 Tevita Ikanivere, 17 Peni Ravai, 18 Samu Tawake, 19 Temo Mayanavanua, 20 Albert Tuisue, 21 Frank Lomani, 22 Vilimoni Botitu, 23 Vinaya Habosi.
© Agence France-Presse
Picture: Romain Perrocheau/AFP
