Page 34 - IB June 2019

Sports

Warriors have
successfully de-
fended their Pa-
cific Challenge
Cup title for the
fourth consecu-
tive time. The
Fijian Latui are
also perform-
ing credibly in
the new Pa-
cific Showcase
(rapid rugby)
series.
F i j i h e a d
c o a c h J o h n
M c k e e s a y s
he and team
management
are working
a r o u n d t h e
clock to ensure
a good 2019
RWC campaign
for Fiji: “I have
been working
closely with our
technical and
Worship is part of the lives of people in the South Pacific, even on the sporting arena. Photo: File
fitness staff on
the weekly and
Konnichiwa Japan day-to-day programming… so we can hit the ground run-
ning in our preparation.”
“Some of the players have been in tremendous form in
Pacific previews for the 2019 recent times and are likely to get the call up. Villiame Mata
and Leone Nakarawa are world class players and have been
Rugby World Cup in very good form in Europe. Lepani Botia missed the last
two test matches due to injury. He is now back playing very
well for La Rochelle and is looking forward to fighting for
a place in the lineup. Peceli Yato has been a very damaging
player for Clermont with his speed and power. We look for-
ward to him showing the same form with the Flying Fijians
throughout the RWC Campaign.”
“One of our biggest challenges is keeping track of the
form of our best players around the world especially with so
many of them based in Europe. We have put in place sys-
Alipate J. Pareti
tems to track game time, download and view matches and
THE Land of the Rising Sun is expecting magic as it hosts its to keep track on player’s weekly wellbeing. We also spend
first ever Rugby World Cup in less than four months’ time. time communicating and building relationships with their
It’s Japan’s first time to host rugby’s most important event, clubs,” McKee says.
and the Pacific will be well represented. The Pasifika rugby Fiji is in the same pool as top contenders Australia and
warriors are like salt, always bringing flavour and excite- Wales, and the fast-improving teams of Georgia and Uru-
ment to the field. guay. To get ready, Fiji will play a series of grinding test
While Fiji is well known for its skills at the sevens ver- matches, beginning with the New Zealand Maoris, then
sion of the game—most recently taking out the 2019 World Japan, Canada, and neighbours Samoa as part of their prepa-
Series championship with a victory in Paris—they are also rations between now and September.
looking good for Japan. Which new Pacific heroes will Tokyo uncover? Will it be a
Fiji has had some success in past World Cups, reaching fine Fijian speedstar like Rupeni Caucau? Another Tongan
the quarter finals stages twice. In 2007 they knocked out torpedo like Nili Latu? Will we see Samoan spine rattling
Wales in the pool games and gave South Africa a fright in tackles like that of Brian Lima? Fans of Pacific rugby can
the Cup quarters. In terms of preparation, Fiji development only speculate for now, and wait.
side, the Fijian Drua are defending champions of the Austra-
lian National Rugby Championship, and the second tier Fiji r sports@islandsbusiness.com

34 Islands Business, June 2019