Help rugby's 'poor' get richer says Fiji coach

REACTION: Head coach Simon Raiwalui said Fiji did the country proud, but admitted more Tests against SANZAAR or Six Nations unions will put them on a level playing field.

The flying Fijians are the great entertainers of Test rugby, but they could also be a genuine contender for the title as they showed when they recorded a historic win over England at Twickenham last month.

Their performance against Wales only added to the strength of Raiwalui’s argument, which saw them suffer a narrow 26-32 defeat.

“When you are playing against the best teams consistently you are improving your combinations,” said Raiwalui.

“It is crucial in our development and we need more opportunities to play against those developed countries.

“The rich get richer and the poor stay the same.”

#REACTION: “I was pretty frustrated and angry about last period of the game.” #rugby #sports #R365 #RWC2023 @WelshRugbyUnion #WALvFIJ https://t.co/a6ylXIqnFt

— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) September 11, 2023

Raiwalui praised World Rugby for their efforts in the warm-up games prior to the sport’s quadrennial showpiece.

“World Rugby did a great job in setting up those matches against France and England,” he said.

“We don’t normally get a couple of developed nations in a row, which is the goal for most developing nations like Fiji.”

Raiwalui’s view received unqualified support from Wales head coach Warren Gatland.

“I understand that completely,” he said.

“When I first came to Wales I was asked by the CEO what sort of games and fixtures I wanted to get in the autumn, and I said get the best teams in the world you can, it’s the only way you get better.”

#OPINION: Check out how the @fijirugby players rated during their narrow 26-32 loss to @WelshRugbyUnion https://t.co/aI92HkeXv3

— rugby365.com (@rugby365com) September 10, 2023