The Ikale Tahi of Tonga meant business last Saturday when they defeated Manu Samoa 30-16 at home in Nuku’alofa in their first Pacific Nations Cup match and their performance did not go unnoticed by FIJI Water Flying Fijians head coach Mick Byrne.
Speaking on the sidelines of the Fiji Rugby Union’s 2025 Symposium at the Upper Hall of the Albert Park pavilion in Suva yesterday, he said the clash between the two teams was very physical, especially around the ruck.
“We talked about it last week, what we expect from Tonga, and they brought exactly that,” Byrne said.
“The speed at the ruck, they were very physical around the ruck. They had speed on their line, speed at defence.”
His sentiments yesterday echo those he made last week when he said the Ikale Tahi’s prominence for a dynamic forward pack and speed meant Fiji needed to be cautious of what their Tongan opponents were capable of.
“The physicality that Tonga brings to their game and their aggression and their line speed coming off, is going to put us under a lot of pressure,” he said at the time.
“They’ve got a big forward pack. They’re well-disciplined around their set piece.
“We just have to be prepared to dig deep on our home turf and hang on to the ball.”
Seeing Tonga’s performance affirmed his words at the time and Byrne stated the preparations would amplify ahead of their first PNC match this Saturday.
“So, what they brought was what we’re preparing for, and to make sure this week we prepare ourselves exceptionally well and are ready to meet that challenge,” he said yesterday.
The Flying Fijians meet Tonga at the HFC Bank Stadium, with kick-off at 3pm.