Rugby World Cup: spectacular game, moving songs and big ambitions… Watch out for Fiji!

Fiji, Wales and Australia in the same group, doesn’t that remind you of anything? To refresh your memory, you have to delve into the archives of the 2007 Rugby World Cup, organized largely by France. Placed in Pool B, these three nations engaged in a magnificent battle concluded by the Wales-Fiji “final”, won by the Islanders (38-34) in Nantes. Their only victory in 13 confrontations but the most beautiful. The Pacific men then advanced to the quarter-finals, losing to future world champions South Africa in Marseille in another memorable match (20-37).

16 years later, do it again. Fiji, Wales and Australia have once again seen fate place them in the same group for a World Cup in France. And the qualifiers will play their quarter-final… in Marseille! But, this time, not sure that the favorite is playing in red. This Sunday in Bordeaux (9 p.m.), it is the Fijians who will scare the Welsh. Semi-finalists in 2019, the latter no longer really look like a serious competitor. Their last 20 matches? 15 defeats and only 5 victories. Conversely, Fiji are moving forward with certainty: four successes in the last five outings, including one in England (30-22) on August 26.

“It would be crazy to give us favorites,” says coach Simon Raiwalui. We are a developing country that is going to face a developed country, with all the resources that implies. We know the quality of our preparation and our group. But we never consider ourselves favorites. We are humble. » Let the opponents talk about it, then: “I found them excellent,” says Warren Gatland, Welsh coach, about the Fijian victory in England. There are great athletes among them, they are probably much more structured in their collective expression than they were in the past. »

“The players have been singing since they were children”

However, there are 23 beginners out of the 33 selected in this Fiji team, which has settled in Lormont, a small town north of Bordeaux. “Perhaps a little less flamboyant at the time,” as Gatland put it, “they have progressed through the static phases, which only makes them more dangerous. » No doubt the experience of the “Europeans” counts: 8 players from the “Flying Fijians” play in France, from captain Waisea Nayacalevu in Toulon to Sireli Maqala in Bayonne, including Josua Tuisova (Lyon then Racing), Luke Tagi (Provence ) or Levani Botia (La Rochelle). Not to mention the pillar Eroni Mawi (Saracens) or the 2nd line Albert Tuisue (Gloucester).

Despite the plundering of the “great nations”, France, New Zealand and England having naturalized a good number of Fijians, the Pacific contingent managed to form a very competitive group. The bad news arrived at the start of the week with the knee injury of starting flyhalf Caleb Muntz, author of 15 points in the victory in England. “It’s a disaster for all of us,” coach Simon Raiwalui did not downplay, who still has “confidence” in the rest of a group having also held on to the French team in mid-August despite the defeat (17-34).

To make history in this World Cup, Fiji, another “haka” nation, is also counting on its own style. In the game: “I always ask my players to play like Fijians,” emphasizes Raiwalui. Our game has always been based on offloads, first-hand passes, aggressiveness on impact, contacts, conquest. I insist on that. » But also in daily life, with a constant smile on their lips and to the rhythm of traditional songs, like in this viral video filmed on the bus recently. “That’s the beauty of Fijian rugby. The players come from everywhere, have played everywhere, in Europe, in Australia, in Japan, in Fiji. The challenge is to unite everyone. The players have been singing since childhood. This collective environment is only an extension of their true nature,” insists the coach. For the greatest happiness of this World Cup.