Fiji faces All Blacks in Test at Dunedin – Rugby news
Fiji’s national rugby team and the New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU)’s All Blacks are set to face each other on Friday, July 22, in Dunedin. The Test match is one of several that both teams will face as part of their warm-up for the Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2011.
The test match is also a fundraiser for the victims of the recent earthquake that shook the city of Christchurch. The coach for Fiji, Samu Domoni, remarked, “It will be a very interesting encounter in Dunedin...We had a lot of injuries in the Pacific Nations
Cup. We had to readjust the team as a few guys came in with the flu. But we have a good squad for the Friday game.”
Fiji has a long standing record of never winning against the Kiwis.
Fiji might not be able to break that losing streak this time because they are missing several key players. Leone Nakarawa, who was named as one of the 35-man squad for the RWC 2011, is a Fijian soldier and as such not allowed on New Zealand soil. The travel
sanctions on all military and related personnel will also be a problem for Fiji in the RWC, which is being held in New Zealand. This is verified by the Foreign Minister of New Zealand in these words, “We've been very clear that those to whom the individual
sanctions apply will not be given exemptions on this occasion.”
The Fijians are also missing several key players for the match against the Kiwis. Some players are unable to play because of either suspension or injuries while others are simply unavailable.
This match will be a preview for what the Flying Fiji will face in the RWC, as the All Blacks are running favourites of the RWC 2011.
The All Blacks on the other hand have enjoyed a good pre-RWC season. They are looking forward to the fundraiser match against the Fijians. Their captain, Richie McCaw, remarked, “They've got players who can play with the ball, and if we make the game loose
they're certainly good ball-players.”
The total match history between both teams includes four official Test matches. The first was won by New Zealand with the score 74-13, in the Test before the RWC 1987 at Lancaster Park. Then there was a win of 71-5 in 1997, followed by a win of 68-18 in
2002 and finally the win of 91-0 in 2005. The record should give the All Blacks a boost of confidence before the match.
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