For the beauty of the game, who hasn’t taken their head in their hands? Who hasn’t jumped off the couch, leaving the beer, or lemonade for the more serious, on the edge of the coffee table? Few people, probably. This last forward from Semi Radradra, the future three-quarter center of Lyon, did not allow the Fijian selection to hope for a stunning victory against Wales last Sunday (32-26). At the end of a spectacular match, the “Flying Fijians” were denied two tries, lacked patience, realism, and above all made an impressive number of blunders.
“We made a lot of mistakes, we paid for them, but we fought until the end. We have to work even harder to make it happen. We scored two tries at the end and almost scored at the last second. We have to be patient and the time will come,” confided captain Waisea Nayacalevu after the match.
Placed in a group where everything is possible, Simon Raiwalui’s men blew a first cartridge. And want to raise the bar against Australia this Sunday, in a Geoffroy-Guichard stadium which promises to be hot. Moreover, Josua Tuisova’s teammates know the Wallabies well. The two teams have faced each other in three editions of the World Cup (2007, 2015, 2019). And in the last five confrontations, the Australians have won five times and made short work of the Fijian selection, with numerous high scores.
Except that this year, the cards are reshuffled. The Australian selection led by Eddie Jones is sailing through troubled waters, despite a first victory against Georgia in the first match (35-15). As for the Fijians, they seem to have found a certain basis in conquest and still create just as much uncertainty behind them. The only downside is the injury to fly-half Caleb Muntz, the playmaker of the selection on the palm tree.
From there to say that the Pacific players are favorites? Not sure. But Simon Raiwalui and his men have only one goal in mind: to win. “We are going to play one of the best teams in the world. The Flying Fijians can compete against the best teams in the world. We have to win this match against Australia, that’s the goal.” For this meeting in Saint-Étienne, the Fijians lined up an (again) XXL three-quarter line. Semi Radradra has been shifted to the left wing while the powerful Tuisova is partnered in the center with captain Waisea.
On the other wing, the formidable Toulonnais Wainiqolo finds his place and Droasese remains at the back. On the bench, the usual starter Franck Lomani will enter during the match, as will the Castres Vilimoni Botitu – called in as reinforcement after Muntz’s injury – as well as the speedy winger of Racing 92, Vinaya Habosi. Up front, Simon Raiwalui decided to keep the same 8 that faced Wales, with the exception of Levani Botia, starting at flanker in place of Albert Tuisue. Heavy. This Sunday, they will face the large Fijian colony present in the Australian squad (Kerevi, Koroibete, Nawaqanitawase among others). But this Sunday, the Fijians will not give any gifts.