FIJI Water Flying Fijian’s centre Seta Tamanivalu says they expect a very physical match this weekend when they face Tonga in their first Test match ahead of the Rugby World Cup later this year.
The former All Blacks winger said the Tongans proved their worth last weekend after defeating Australia A in their first hit-out, but is adamant the Flying Fijians will be able to get the job done at Churchill Park in Lautoka this Saturday.
“We’ve had a very good training session while on Taveuni; the boys have been working very hard over the past two weeks and we are ready for our first Test match against Tonga,” the 30-year-old said.
“Tonga has got some big names in their team this year, with a couple of players coming in from Australia and New Zealand.
“We watched their game against Australia A and you can just see the physicality in the way they play.”
Tamanivalu said the Flying Fijians had always been known for their physicality as well, and believes the side has what it takes to come out with a win.
“The Flying Fijians have always been known for their physicality as well, so you can expect nothing less from us when we play our Pasifika brothers this weekend.”
He said he was impressed with the performance of the Swire Shipping Fijian Drua players in the squad, adding it was nice to see young talented players climbing up the ranks to represent the country.
“Happy with the Drua boys being here in the squad, it just shows the development of the team in a twoyear frame.
“Though we only have a handful in the team, they have shown good discipline and commitment during training, and this is something we love to see.”
Looking at the way preparations and training the Flying Fijians have been undergoing for the past two weeks, Tamanivalu says the team is heading in the right direction ahead of the World Cup in France.
“Everyone’s very focused on training and preparations, so everything looks to be heading in the right direction for the World Cup,” he said.
