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Scotland Fiji Autumn Nations Cup match could still go ahead claims O'Connor

Waisea Nayacalevu on the run for Fiji. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Chief executive officer John O’Connor is refusing to accept Fiji’s participation in the Autumn Nations Cup is over after 29 positive COVID-19 tests amongst players and management and has revealed plans are being put in place for future Tests with Six Nations teams.

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Fiji have been forced to forfeit games with Italy and France due to repeated positive tests at their training camp in France and there are serious doubts over the team’s ability to compete against Scotland in the final pool game on November 28. They are then scheduled to play against a team from Pool A in the final round of fixtures on December 5/6.

O’Connor is adamant that negative tests will enable Fiji to travel to Scotland for the match and told the Fiji Times: “I have a meeting with the Six Nations to put in place strategies about the match against Scotland. If the results start becoming positive then we will look at those strategies.

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“The match against Scotland will only go forward once all players who have tested positive for COVID-19 have their test results return negative.”

In a bid to negate the damaging effects of the positive tests on the image of Fijian rugby, O’Connor has been negotiating with the Six Nations unions a bid to get a commitment for regular fixtures. The current Autumn Nations Cup was arranged to fill the void created by the inability of Australia, South Africa and New Zealand to travel to Europe for matches. Instead of allowing Fiji to build their case for more fixtures, the pandemic has left them frustrated and unable to play under new coach Vern Cotter who took over in January and has yet to take charge of a match.

O’Connor added: “I have been in talks with the chief executive officers from the Six Nations and we are looking at possible Test matches between their teams and the Flying Fijians in the coming years. And that is something to look forward to as well with all that is going on at the moment.”

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S
SK 57 minutes ago
What is the future of rugby in 2025?

Set pieces are important and the way teams use them is a great indication of how they play the game. No team is showcasing their revolution more than the Springboks. This year they have mauled less and primarily in the attacking third. Otherwise they have tended to set like they are going to maul and then play around the corner or shove the ball out the back. They arent also hitting the crash ball carrier constantly but instead they are choosing to use their width or a big carrying forward in wider areas. While their maul is varied the scrum is still a blunt instrument winning penalties before the backs have a go. Some teams have chosen to blunt their set piece game for more control. The All Blacks are kicking more penalties and are using their powerful scrum as an attacking tool choosing that set piece as an attacking weapon. Their willingness to maul more and in different positions is also becoming more prominent. The French continue to play conservative rugby off the set piece using their big bruisers frequently. The set piece is used differently by different teams. Different teams play different ways and can be successful regardless. They can win games with little territory and possession or smash teams with plenty of both. The game of rugby is for all types and sizes and thats true in the modern era. I hope that administrators keep it that way and dont go further towards a Rugby League style situation. Some administrators are of the opinion that rugby is too slow and needs to be sped up. Why not rather empower teams to choose how they want to play and create a framework that favours neither size nor agility. That favours neither slow tempo play or rock n roll rugby. Create a game that favour both and challenge teams to execute their plans. If World Rugby can create a game like that then it will be the ultimate winner.

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J
JW 6 hours ago
'Let's not sugarcoat it': Former All Black's urgent call to protect eligibility rules

Yep, no one knows what will happen. Thing is I think (this is me arguing a point here not a random debate with this one) they're better off trialing it now in a controlled environment than waiting to open it up in a knee jerk style reaction to a crumbling organtization and team. They can always stop it again.


The principle idea is that why would players leave just because the door is ajar?


BBBR decides to go but is not good enough to retain the jersey after doing it. NZ no longer need to do what I suggest by paying him to get back upto speed. That is solely a concept of a body that needs to do what I call pick and stick wth players. NZR can't hold onto everyone so they have to choose their BBBRs and if that player comes back from a sabbatical under par it's a priority to get him upto speed as fast as possible because half of his competition has been let go overseas because they can't hold onto them all. Changing eligibility removes that dilemma, if a BBBR isn't playing well you can be assured that someone else is (well the idea is that you can be more assured than if you only selected from domestic players).


So if someone decides they want to go overseas, they better do it with an org than is going to help improve them, otherwise theyre still basically as ineligible as if they would have been scorning a NZ Super side that would have given them the best chance to be an All Black.

147 Go to comments
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