National coach Vern Cotter said the Flying Fijians to face New Zealand in seven weeks needed to be 100 percent in the unprecedented two Test series against the New Zealand All Blacks.
“Our players who will be joining from Europe need to be aware that this is no small challenge but it’s a massive one as we get two test matches against the All Blacks in New Zealand so we know how challenging it’s going to be,” he said.
“I think it’s very good for the Flying Fijians because we have to be at our 100 percent of our games.”
Cotter was looking at both local and overseas based players as the Fiji Rugby Union confirmed the two Test series against New Zealand on July 10 and July 17 in Dunedin and Hamilton respectively.
“We have been looking at the overseas and also local players and trying to get them back in time for quarantine and training so that we can prepare properly for the first game on the 10th,” he said.
FRU chief executive John O’Connor said that they had a productive discussion with their counterparts in New Zealand and were set to play the former Rugby World Cup champions after a lapse of 10 years.
“We were scheduled to play them once this year but now we will be playing two tests,” he said.
“We would like to thank the New Zealand Rugby and World Rugby for their support in giving us this great opportunity for our players and likewise our Coaching panel.”
He said while they were excited, the Union was also cautious since Fiji was going through this second wave of COVID 19.
“At home, the priority at the moment is to support all the Government restrictions and comply with the Ministry of Health instructions as we fight to control the spread of this virus so we can support the country return to its COVID19 contained status,” said O’Connor.
“The welfare and safety of our players in Fiji and abroad is paramount and at the moment our HPU General Manager Simon Raiwalui and the Flying Fijians coaching panel have started to initiate discussion with all our players in relation to the preparation for the two tests.”
“We will be liaising and working with World Rugby and the respective clubs of the players in relation to their release and we hope to prepare well leading into the two matches.”
New Zealand Rugby CEO Mark Robinson said the Kiwis were delighted at the opportunity to play the Flying Fijians.
“We’re absolutely delighted to be able to confirm what will be a fantastic series of matches. We look forward to welcoming the Flying Fijians to New Zealand for what will be a historic first-ever back-to-back All Blacks Test Series against them.”
Cotter is expected to announce his extended squad for the two test matches next month.
Fiji scored a historic 27-10 against the Maori All Blacks on July 15, 2019 at the ANZ Stadium in Suva but lost on the return encounter in Rotorua a week later.
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