FITNESS will be non-negotiable for the Fiji Water Flying Fijians as they prepare to take on the giants of northern hemisphere rugby in the highly anticipated Rugby Nations Championship (RNC) this July.
In an interview with TimesSports Interim head coach Senirusi Seruvakula has made it crystal clear: only those who meet the highest fitness standards will earn the right to showcase Fiji’s trademark flair on the international stage.
This insistence aligns perfectly with his vision of a fast, relentless style of rugby designed to outpace and outwit their northern rivals.
Facing teams expected to deploy a tactical kicking game aimed at exploiting Fiji’s lethal back three, Seruvakula plans to turn their own strategy against them — launching devastating counter-attacks from anywhere on the pitch.
“We need to play our own style of rugby, our own style of rugby is not kicking, we need to run from anywhere on the field,” Seruvakula asserted.
“Those fields they don’t have behaviours like what’s the behaviour in the red zone what’s the behaviour in the yellow zone, to have that freedom to play you have to be fit.”
It’s this freedom — the famed Fijian attacking flair — that has captivated rugby fans worldwide and earned Fiji a reputation as one of the most thrilling teams in the sport.
But to sustain the high-octane, free-flowing chaos that defines their game, fitness isn’t just important — it’s essential.
“For us Fijian’s if we are fit impossible is nothing, we can do anything on that field, express ourselves and have that confidence to do whatever you what to do against what’s in front of you,” he said.
The stakes are high – with 18 players on standby from the extended squad, the pressure is on for the final 32-member team to prove they can meet the demanding fitness criteria.
“The door is still open wide the people who are coming in (32-member squad) need to perform and that three days before the week they will be tested, if you are not fit you will catch the plane back home,” he said sternly.
This tough-love approach underscores the seriousness of the challenge ahead.
The Flying Fijians will kick off their RNC campaign against Wales at the iconic Principality Stadium in Cardiff on July 5 at 1.10am.
