FLYING Fijian lock forward Temo Mayanavanua is bracing for a tough match against Tonga in their upcoming Pacific Nations Cup opener in Suva this Saturday.
Mayanavanua believes Tonga’s impressive win against Samoa 30-16 last week has them fired up and ready for their clash.
He commended Tonga for capitalising on the opportunities presented to them by Samoa and expects them to come out strong against Fiji.
“I think they did really well, they took every opportunity that was presented to them by Samoa,” said Mayanavanua.
Mayanavanua emphasised the physicality of the Tongan side, prompting Fiji to intensify their training in preparation for the match.
“Thats is what you want when an opportunity presents itself you take it, so big ups to Tonga for that.
“Judging from there last game against Samoa, we know they are going to come direct.
He acknowledged the hard work put in by the team during training, particularly on the toughest day of the week.
“Today (Tuesday) was our hardest day throughout the week and the boys prepped really well for it.”
Despite the focus on the opposition, Mayanavanua highlighted the importance of the Fijian team coming together and building on their previous performances.
The Flying Fijian team is determined to maintain their high standards and uphold their status as a tier one nation, regardless of the players involved.
“We are just focussing on us and the platform that we’ve made from July and we looking to build on it as a team, different players is coming in, some players returning but our standards don’t drop, we’ve said that we’re tier one nation so we need to keep that standard high regardless of the players that come in.”
Mayanavanua urged fans to come out and support the team as they strive for their first win of the tournament.
The match between Fiji and Tonga will take place at the HFC Stadium on Saturday at 3pm.