THE FIJI Water Flying Fijians have climbed into the world’s top nine, but their rise comes with a costly setback, with forward Motikiai Murray suspended following his red card against Japan last Saturday.
Fiji’s 34-28 victory over Japan in Tokyo lifted the side above Wales to ninth in the latest World Rugby rankings. However, while the win strengthened Fiji’s standing on the international stage, Murray’s suspension has handed head coach Jake White another challenge ahead of three demanding November Tests.
Murray was initially shown a yellow card during the match after a dangerous tackle on Japan’s number eight, Faulua Makisi.
However, following a review by the Foul Play Review Officer, the offence was upgraded to a red card under Law 9.13, which prohibits dangerous tackling.
As a result, Murray will miss Fiji’s following matches against France, Ireland and Italy, leaving the coaching staff to consider their options as they prepare for the challenging international campaign.
Meanwhile, the Flying Fijians are currently in Lyon, France, where White and his coaching staff are conducting a three-day camp to assess player performances, combinations and readiness for the opening Test.
The final squad is yet to be confirmed, with the official announcement expected tomorrow.
These three Tests will give Fiji an opportunity to build on their victory over Japan and demonstrate that their rise in the rankings is no one-off achievement.
Although breaking into ninth place is a significant milestone, maintaining that position will require consistency against formidable opposition. Therefore, with Murray unavailable, the Flying Fijians must find the right combinations and depth in their squad to keep their momentum going.
Fiji face France next Sunday at 8.10am Fiji time before taking on Ireland on November 15 and Italy on November 22.
