Nakarawa: Still room for improvement

The Flying Fijian singing the national anthem before their match against Canada on Saturday, August 3^rd at the ANZ Stadium, Suva. Picture: JENNIS NAIDU/WANSOLWARA

By SEREANA SALALO

The Fiji Airways Flying Fijians had their first win of the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup in a physical encounter against Canada at the ANZ Stadium in Suva last week.

The Fijian boys came out strong with a 38–13 win despite the team’s loss to Japan in the first round of the PNC.

Captain Leone Nakarawasaid the team showed improvements from their last game but believed there was still more room to better their performance.

 “Everyone makes mistakes. Our game against Canada, there were mistakes but a good thing about it is we have time to learn our weaknesses and improve on that,” Nakarawa said.

“Like coach said, we are aiming for something big, so we will take one game at a time.”

Forward Viliame Mata scored Fiji’s opening try in the eighth minute while flanker Peceli Yato, who also plays international rugby for French club Clermont, dived in for Fiji’s second try to maintain a 12-6 lead.

Skipper and off load king Nakarawa crossed over the line for their third try which was successfully converted by fly-half Josh Matavesi, securing a 13-point lead at half time.

The second half of the match was dominated by the Flying Fijians as French-based player and 2016 Olympics gold medalist Josua Tuisova scored an outstanding try set up by Semi Radradra.

Peni Ravai also scored a try while the substitution for hooker, Mesulame Dolokoto, sealed Fiji’s win scoring the final try at the 70^th minute.

Matavesi successfully converted five out of six tries.

Canada’s lone try was by winger Kainoa Lloyd and two penalties converted by their first five-eighth, Shane O’leary.

Flying Fijians coach John McKee says he was impressed with the team’s performance, adding it was great to see Radradra playing full time after his injury.

“It’s pleasing to see a win on the scoreboard and have some of the players having much of their game on. We would like to see some improvements in the next game against Samoa, having more patience with the ball and moving onto the opposition with more pressure,” he said.

Meanwhile, Canadian coach Kingsley Jones said it was a great improvement from his team despite the loss.

“It was a tough battle, Fiji is a very good side with some of the best individual players in the world so it was a great opportunity to measure ourselves against those guys,” Jones said.

“I think there is a lot of improvement from our side in a space of a week. The work and the effort shown by the team was exceptional.”

Canada will play Tonga in Lautoka tomorrow while the Flying Fijians will take on Pacific rivals Samoa for the final round at the ANZ Stadium on Saturday.

Japan will take on USA on Saturday and the winner of this match will take home the World Rugby Pacific Nations Cup.

*Sereana Salalo is a final year Journalism student at The University of the South Pacific’s Laucala Campus. She is also the advertising features editor for the student training print and online publication, Wansolwara .

*This article was edited by Emi Koroitanoa, online student editor for Wansolwara.