Vodafone Flying Fijians coach Vern Cotter is expected to ring changes to the side which will face Samoa in the final round of the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup this Saturday following injury concerns.
Fly-half Teti Tela and Mesulame Kunavula have been ruled out while Kitione Kamikamica and Waisea Nayacalevu are under rehab with niggling injuries.
Cotter said they were looking at options to fill in the void. He said as a result they would only know who is available for the full 23-member squad by this afternoon.
“We have had a couple of injuries as you can expect in two tough games,” Cotter said.
“We won’t be able to name the team until Thursday. That is when I would think to get a full 23, see who is available and who is not.”
Ben Volavola is likely to get a start at fly half in place of Tela. Cotter said Volavola was the only other genuine number 10 in the team.
“Teti told us early on that he had to leave after he hurt his groin in that first half against Australia,” he said.
“So it gave Ben an opportunity to step up at 10 for the game.
“The medical team are doing a good job with the injuries. Mesulame came off as well. He’s got a two centimetre tear in his thigh so he is not available this week.
“Kamikamica came off with a niggle on his hamstring. Wise (Nayacalevu) has a hamstring as well which he is getting worked on.
“So the injuries are one thing that we are working through. The other thing is just basically working on our organisation but especially our character.
“How we express ourselves on the paddock this weekend. We would like to see big improvement in the way we play on the field.”
Fiji will face Samoa at 3.30pm at Churchill Park in Lautoka. Tonga will take on Australia A at 12pm.
