They will feature in their pack some of the biggest stars in rugby.
The former Bay of Plenty head coach and Crusaders assistant has been impressed by several Fiji-eligible prospects including Blues No 8 Hoskins Sotutu, loose head prop Alex Hodgman, who played under 20s for New Zealand and Fiji, Chiefs No 8 Pita Gus Sowakula, Crusaders prop George Bower and wing Manasa Mataele, who is yet to return from injury. The Fijians have taken huge strides in recent years and boast firepower across the pitchThe Fijians have taken huge strides in recent years and boast firepower across the pitchWhen the Flying Fijians reached the last eight at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, they shocked the world.
"Gibbo has had his experience as a head coach with the Waratahs and he is coming back with some good ideas. The daunting task of it will sharpen people up.
Their individual prowess, though, will not suffice. It changes daily which is only natural because it's an uncertain landscape. Kelvin Anthony. The eight-team tournament will this year replace the traditional northern-hosted November tours, with the Sanzaar nations instead hoping to stage the Rugby Championship in New Zealand during this window. Head Coach John McKee said the squad, captained by Dominiko Waqaniburotu, has an opportunity to do something special for Fiji and is challenging the players to step up their intensity and commitment to make a real impact in Japan. They enter rugby’s showpiece tournament with depth, experience and form – a team with firepower across the pitch.
The Pacific Nations also allowed them to try different strategies and player combinations. In 2015, they showed promise but could not topple their more fancied pool opponents Australia, England and Wales. The team will feature 15 World Cup debutants, while five – including the captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu, Campese Ma’afu, Kini Murimurivalu, Leone Nakarawa and Vereniki Goneva, will be playing in their third.
To set their campaign in motion, Fiji need to win against the Wallabies. In their final Test before the World Cup, Fiji overcame Tonga in a physical battle. There is an expectation that this team will deliver. The guy we'd love to get is Hoskins Sotutu, but I think Ian Foster has probably got his eye on him. When the Flying Fijians take the field on 21 September, every Fijian, from the remote villages in the most interior parts of the country to the busy bars in the capital, will have their hearts pumping faster than usual.
We'll be delighted to be involved but we're waiting for the boxes to be ticked. "It's the challenge Fiji rugby needs. These gains have planted a seed in the minds of Fijian fans. Fijian rugby often has to fight internal battles: administrative, financial or otherwise. If you're playing England, Wales, Ireland you can't afford to have an off day you've got to remain consistent. If they do not, the hopes of seeing the Fijians in the business end of the tournament will diminish significantly. Gibson will lead Fiji's backline and attack; Ryan the forward pack, Jackson skills and kicking while Gray, who worked with the Springboks from 2014-16 and Cotter at Scotland and Montpellier, will oversee the contact area.
Fiji have taken huge strides in recent years, They did falter in the process, defeated by an excellent Japanese side in Tokyo in the Pacific Nations Cup, which highlighted areas Fiji needed to brush up on before this tournament.