Fijiana XV vice-captain Bitila Tawake has urged all Fijians to get behind the team as they prepare for their Women’s Rugby World Cup pool match against Scotland tomorrow.
“We are here for Fiji. We are playing for our country, and we need your support.
“The girls are doing well. We know the first game wasn’t on our side, but we’ve taken lessons from it, and everyone has the right attitude heading into this week’s match,” Tawake said.
Team management has backed the call, focusing on both physical and mental preparation after a challenging opener against Canada.
Head coach Ioan Cunningham confirmed that front-rower Bulou Wainikiti Vasuturaga will miss the next two pool matches after being cited for a high tackle, but stressed the team remains confident.
“Preparations have been good. We’ve arrived in Manchester, and we are looking forward to building on some of the positives from the Canada game,” Cunningham said.
Cunningham also announced lineup changes, with Vika Matarugu starting at tighthead prop after her strong impact off the bench against Canada, and young Michella’e Stolz ready to showcase her talent on the world stage.
Fiji and Scotland will kick off at 1:45am tomorrow, with the Fijiana aiming to make their nation proud.