In 1985, the Esala Teleni-led national rugby reps rounded off six hours of training by whipping the Royal Fiji Military Forces side 60-10 in a practise match.
An article in The Fiji Times on July 9 that year said the coaching of New Zealand referee and coach George Simpkin has brought about remarkable changes in the pack, which naval officer Teleni leading on a 10-match tour of Australia, beginning with a match against Sydney on Saturday that year.
Simpkin, a specialist in moulding good forwards, had drilled the Fiji team into a cohesive unit with the urge to win possession.
The superb possession won by the forwards saw Fiji run in 12 tries. Mosese Nabati bagged three tries while skipper Teleni, Acura Niuqila and Epeli Turuva each scored two.
Turuva also kicked a conversion. Hooker Epeli Rakai and prop Bruce Naulago also got tries while “Super Boot” Severo Koroduadua, in a faultless first half exhibition, scored one try and kicked five conversions.
The national team was expected to feature in another practise match against the Services XV, Inoka Tabualevu coached 27-member squad.
The tour ended with two Tests against the Australian Wallabies.
Another New Zealand coach, Pat Sheenan, arrived in Suva, to help out with the national Under 21 squad being coached by Ilikimi Kunagogo. Kunagogo was a former national lock forward. Meanwhile, the national Under 21 side also met Australia.
The Australian team played Suva in the first game at the national stadium.
Fiji Rugby Union secretary Setareki Tuinaceva said a New Zealand referee accompanied the Australian team on the flight to Fiji and controlled the two matches.
