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Fiji spell out not so subtle warning to Wales ahead of Cardiff clash

By PA
Levani Botia of Fiji and Josua Tuisova of Fiji looks dejected at full-time after their team's loss in the Rugby World Cup France 2023 Quarter Final match between England and Fiji at Stade Velodrome on October 15, 2023 in Marseille, France. (Photo by Michael Steele - World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)

Fiji are ready to thrive on what head coach Mick Byrne describes as “a whole new energy” when they tackle Wales in Cardiff.

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A 57-17 defeat against Scotland in their Autumn Nations Series opener has little relevance to Sunday’s Principality Stadium encounter.

Fiji have welcomed back of galaxy of northern hemisphere based stars who were unavailable last weekend as the game fell outside World Rugby’s autumn Test window.

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      The 20-min red card explained by referee Karl Dickson

      Referee Karl Dickson explains the 20-min red card system that is in place during the Autumn Nations Series.

      Into the team come world-class players like Semi Radradra, Waisea Nayacalevu, Josua Tuisova and Jiuta Wainiqolo, with Fiji targeting what would be a first victory over Wales in Cardiff at the ninth attempt.

      “This is the strongest side we could have picked at the moment,” Byrne said. “We’ve got a good block of experience that has come in, especially in the back line.

      Head-to-Head

      Last 5 Meetings

      Wins
      4
      Draws
      0
      Wins
      1
      Average Points scored
      27
      21
      First try wins
      60%
      Home team wins
      80%

      “I think the squad highlights a good mix for us. We have got some good carry, and if we need to get across the gain-line nice and early we have got some strength there.

      “We’ve got some great deception and running lines outside. It’s a good mix for us, to be able to have a good strong ball carrier at 12 and then a good distributor and line runner at 13. It gives us great flexibility in attack.

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      “I think when you get 11 new players come in, it almost feels fresh again. What we focus now on is Wales and that creates a whole new energy. It is a beautiful stadium, and it’s great for players to experience that.”

      Fiji narrowly lost a 2023 World Cup thriller when the countries last met and history shows it is a fixture that Wales have often had to work exceptionally hard in for victory.

      Almost half of their 12 wins from 14 meetings have been by seven points or less, while Fiji drew in Cardiff 14 years ago and knocked Wales out of the 2007 World Cup.

      And they have arrived in the Welsh capital with Wales striving to avoid a 10th successive Test defeat, which would equal a record run of losses set in 2002 and 2003.

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      “If we focus and get our game going, we believe we can put pressure on most teams,” Byrne added.

      “I am sure Wales will be desperate to get a win, but so are we. For us, we want to get our job right and push enough pressure and execute our game-plan in the way I know we can.

      “We want to be the ones pushing the pressure on the field and see if the opposition can answer the questions that we are going to ask.

      “We know Wales are going to ask a lot of questions of us – they are going to come hard at us and we need to be ready for that and compete.”

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      EllenMoody 4 hours ago
      Great moments in Lions tour history – JPR’s drop goal and the All Blacks' brutal revenge

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      JWH 6 hours ago
      'Matches between Les Bleus and the All Blacks are rarely for the faint-hearted.'

      Do you hear yourself? Do you have any concept of world view? Have you tried looking into why people call Ireland ‘arrogant’? Obviously not.


      We started calling you arrogant when you called our captain a ‘shit Richie McCaw’. In New Zealand. On our turf. Don’t think that kind of behaviour really calls for respect, does it.


      NZ don’t really talk ourselves up, if anything the rugby does it for us. No kiwi goes in the media and says: ‘We are gonna win the RWC’. However, I have found many instance of IRISH media saying that the Irish should win, without a doubt. THAT is disrespectful.


      The All Blacks have played good rugby, even some of the best rugby ever, at many points in history, but I don’t think you could find a single instance of one of those players, or the NZ media, saying that they should whitewash their opponents. Ever.


      Now, onto your analysis. Ireland DID choke the QF. They beat the champions, they were ranked first coming into it, a lot of players at the peaks of their powers. Its hard to say that they didn’t choke. Obviously, their preparation was just not as good as NZ, and thats all there really is to it.


      If Ireland had repsected that ABs team and that QF more, maybe they would’ve prepared properly for it and won. But they didn’t.


      Maybe if Ireland had won their QF last RWC, they wouldn’t have to be in the same pool as SA and Scotland. I mean, its called a draw for a reason. NZ got third last RWC, so of course they should get a reasonable pool, and they were ranked pretty highly too. If you want to talk about easy pools, look no further than Pool 3 with England, Australia, Fiji, and Georgia I think?


      Now, obviously you don’t remember how that QF ended, so I’ll go ahead and rectify that. Ireland reclaimed the ball off kickoff and marched for 20ish phases into the opposition half. Savea then won a turnover, but the referee refused to give it, so play went on. Finally, at the NZ 22, after not giving up a single penatly in 25 phases of hard defense, Sam Whitelock, the most capped All Black of all time, wins the game with an incredible steal.


      Now, NZ players having a go at Ireland. Do you cry when you get hit after making the first swing? We all know Sexton is a prick on the field, its just the truth. And Ioane never backs down from a clash, so he thought he should humble a player who has never won an international knockout game who thought he was all that. Don’t really see the issue, its poetic justice really.

      83 Go to comments
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