Georgia are good, but they're not our greatest test this summer - Nadolo
The Tier 1 nations might not be in town, but that doesn’t mean it’s not an exciting time for rugby fans in Fiji.
The Pacific Nations Championship gets underway next week in Suva and we’ll be playing Samoa and Georgia, before taking on Tonga in Lautoka.
Don’t worry Montpellier fans, I’m fully focused on the grand final with Castres this week. Training has been going well and we’re confident, but we are definitely wary of the threats that Castres bring.
I just wanted to use a bit of my downtime this week to give people some insight into what the rugby on the island is going to be like over the coming weeks.
The Fijian boys are already in camp, as are the Samoan and Tongan boys, and myself, Josua [Tuisova], Semi [Radradra], Leone [Nakarawa] and Timoci [Nagusa] will join up with them after the weekend. Hopefully we get there in time to acclimatise and feature against Samoa in the opener, but if not, we’ll be ready to go against Georgia and Tonga.
It’s great to have the competition on the island and it should be a good atmosphere for fans, with all three fixtures part of double headers and delivering two games for the price of one.
We won’t take anyone lightly but our biggest test will be Samoa.
They’re out to prove themselves this year and they’ve recalled a lot of big names for the tournament. Sinoti Sinoti is back in after an absence and he and Alapati Leiula will be threatening in the back line, as will Ed Fidow. Ed is a freak, he is so quick.
Jack Lam will be leading from up front and it’s great to see big Joe Tekori back in the squad. They are going to be a force to be reckoned with this season, especially as they try to lay a foundation for qualifying for the Rugby World Cup.
Then we move on to Georgia, who we will face again next year at the RWC. This is a great opportunity for us to prepare for that fixture and we know they will be a tough team up front. They have some of the best scrummagers in the world and it’ll be a different type of challenge to the one we are used to.
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Finishing up against Tonga won’t be easy, either, with those guys keen to get revenge on us after we beat them in Nuku’alofa last year. The game is in Lautoka, too, and the city has a big Tongan community, so the atmosphere should be electric for that one. Like us, they’ll be looking to get their squad into the best possible position ahead of the RWC next year.
They are big challenges, but we are in a good place to meet them, with pretty much a full-strength squad available. Unfortunately, Peceli [Yato] and Levani [Botia] both miss out due to injury and Josh [Matavesi] and Waisea [Nayacalevu] have been unlucky with selection, but we have put together a very good group.
It was a joy to watch Semi tearing it up for the Barbarians last weekend, Leone is the reigning European Player of the Year and we’ve got some good local brothers pushing through, thanks to the Fijian Drua side playing in the National Rugby Championship in Australia and giving a showcase to guys on the island.
Semi Radradra of Toulon (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)
Frank Lomani is an example of this and I was lucky enough to tour with him last year. He’s lively and a threat, but he’s also a young guy that listens. He’s got a great chance of being there at nine for a long time to come. He’s linked up with the Rebels now following the NRC last season and he gets to learn every day from Will Genia and there aren’t many better role models at the position than Will.
For Frank to get in there ahead of a guy like Nikola [Matawalu] just speaks to the depth we are trying to build and the competition for spots now in the squad. It can only make us better as a team.
Most of all, though, the boys are just pumped to be playing at home.
Hopefully I can come through the grand final unscathed and Josua and Semi can do the same at the London 7s, and we head off to Fiji next week with a few winners’ medals and ready to make an impact.
Right, time for me to get back to training!
