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Fiji to lay down the challenge against Australia
Fiji coach Ilie Tabua has dismissed comments that he was solely focused on beating Wales in Nantes next week to snatch the Islanders a place in the Rugby World Cup quarter-finals.
The Fijians have a tough task ahead of defeating two-time world champions Australia in Montpellier on Sunday - the same team that thrashed the Islanders 49-0 in a one-off Test earlier this year.
With the Fijians currently sitting in second place on the Pool B table equal with Australia on ten points - a winner-takes-all battle looms with Wales in Cardiff on September 29.
"People are talking about Wales, but no, we have a game at hand and this is a game that counts first, then Wales," Tabua told Reuters.
This was despite the likelihood of Tabua fielding an understrength team for Fiji's penultimate Pool B clash against the Wallabies on Sunday.
The Fijian coach explained that mixing his team up for the Wallaby fixture was an effort to keep give his senior players a much needed break as the games between Wales and Australia were a mere three days apart.
"Knowing that our following match is a three-day turnaround, we need certain players rested and we need to vary it around knowing that Australia would have looked at all our games so far and assessed all our players," said Tabua.
Tabua insisted that the changes he would make for the game against Australia did not mean his team would not be competitive against the Wallabies.
"It doesn't mean we will not put out a good team. We may have a different nucleus to what we have had in the past two matches but we will put out a side with a mix of both senior players and younger players," said Tabua
Tabua further warned his players not to get ahead of themselves, as their immediate task was playing against Australia, which was an equally important game to Tabua.
"We don't want to look past Australia - first things first," he said.
Fiji captain Mosese Rauluni supported his coach, saying that the team was not ruling the possibility of beating the Wallabies out completely.
"Everyone is talking about Wales but if we can knock Australia off it makes it a lot easier for us in the pool," said the optimistic captain.
Moreover Rauluni showed tremendous faith in the Fijians Rugby World Cup 30-man squad.
"Whatever team we pick, it's a squad of 30, those boys are just as capable as us," said Rauluni.
"I know the young boys are raring to go, they haven't had a run yet and if they do get a chance I know they will do their best for Fiji."
