There have not been many surprises at the 2023 Rugby World Cup so far, with the vast majority of matches going the way that they were expected to and those backed to challenge for the Webb-Ellis Cup putting on statement performances as they try to demonstrate their world champion credentials.
Fiji were not one of the those initially backed to challenge for the trophy, and were seen initially as a team likely instead to damage others’ title ambitions. However, the fact that they have so far run Wales close and defeated an error-prone Australia has led to them gaining an increase in attention, with some now viewing them as potential dark horses to go deep into the tournament.
This tactical analysis will pick out several aspects of their two performances so far to show why they have been such a difficult opponent to face so far, as well as highlighting why they have been full of confidence and will be quietly confident of extending their stay in France beyond the pool stages.
The most obvious thing about Fiji’s play so far is the physicality that they have demonstrated whenever they have the ball, and it does feel like a cliché to talk about how well they have carried the ball and how they have dominated collisions, but the simple fact is that they have been a central part of their tactics so far and were key to them securing six points from the first 10 available.
What is important to note though is that getting this aspect of the game right doesn’t just happen automatically and does require a lot of work on the training ground, and it has been clear when watching Fiji play that they have been putting in the hours to ensure that each player knows their roles and that the ball can be constantly retained whenever it goes to ground.
In this case, the speed at which Edinburgh back rower Viliame Mata gets over Reds loosehead Peni Ravai to form the ruck and to drive Wales back is frightening, and this is not the first time that opposing sides have been prevented from securing a turnover by the way that Fiji have moved to protect the ball.
The result of Mata’s quick thinking here is that Fijian Drua scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli is able to dig the ball out and send it into the path of Racing 92 centre Josua Tuisova, who has been one of the Flying Fijians’ more dangerous players and who broke through a gap here to score the try, and that shows how getting each detail right has ensured that the Pacific Islanders have been able to claim the rewards for their hard work in possession.
As a general rule, Fiji will look to drive forwards when they can, but they are also a realistic side and know when gaining territory is no longer possible. That is when their teamwork comes in, with each player looking to make life as easy for those around them as possible and ensuring that attacks can be continued without momentum being lost, and that is shown here through the clear presentation that Drua lock Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta has made to allow the ball to be recycled without too much time being wasted.
He has been aided here by the prop duo of Saracens’ Eroni Mawi and Provence’s Luke Tagi, who have moved forward to keep Australia away from the ball, again preventing a jackal from occurring, but the key thing here is the way that there is no attempt to slow the play down and instead Fiji’s game plan revolves around quick play and ensuring that they can constantly stay on the front foot.
There is more to their game than the physical side of things though, with them also demonstrating a great deal of skill when handling the ball and moving it around the pitch.
This has mainly been seen when they are looking to send the ball out to the wings and to stretch the play, which is another common aspect of their tactics, and it is something that they did a lot of against Wales and which almost led to them securing a potentially match-winning try at the death through influential former Bristol Bears back Semi Radradra.
Using the full width of the pitch continued against Australia too, with Toulon winger Jiuta Wainiqolo in possession here and staying as tight as he can to the sideline. However, the key thing to mention here is that, when the ball does travel into these channels, the wingers do not only think about using their pace to outrun defenders, but also about how they can manipulate opponents into committing to tackle attempts and leaving gaps open.
In their match against England, just before the World Cup got underway, post-match analysis indicated the role that these tackle evasions had on Fiji’s ability to break Steve Borthwick’s side down, and their ability to offload the ball at the right times when they are unable to make darting movements is also worth mentioning when looking at how they use the wings to ensure that the hard work done by those in the middle is rewarded.
However, perhaps the most prominent feature of the Pacific Islanders’ play so far has been the quality of their kicking from the tee, with both Kuruvoli and former Northampton Saints scrum-half Frank Lomani (also now with the Drua in Super Rugby) showing their expertise at securing points with their boots and constantly ensuring that Fiji keep the scoreboard ticking over.
This was particularly important against Australia, with try-scoring opportunities not as common as they were against Wales, and so staying consistent from the tee allowed Fiji to build their lead and eventually see off the Wallabies.
However, when breaking down how they scored so many points, and from some difficult angles, it comes down to the technique that Kuruvoli showed. When watching the way that she struck the ball, what was evident was that he made contact with the top of his side foot, as is shown here.
The result was that each kick travelled in an arrow-straight fashion and never veered from its path, and that gave him more success as it meant that, as long as the initial trajectory was measured correctly, the ball sailed between the posts. This is not something that a lot of players do, and is the reason that plenty of kicks end up curling (as Lomani’s did when he came on in the second half of this match), so it shows how Kuruvoli has worked on his technique to ensure that he can be as consistent as possible.
All in all, it shows again how practice has been central to Fiji’s promising start, and, as has been indicated by the key points raised in this brief scout report, it really is paying off. What will give them further encouragement is that they have arguably got their two toughest matches out of the way, with Georgia and Portugal to come, and they will fancy their chances against both, especially given that they have this weekend off to give them further recovery time.
Reaching the knockout stages is well within their grasp, and overcoming the Wallabies will have only increased their odds of getting there. Should they succeed in extending their World Cup run, then they will undoubtedly be a team that many will hope to avoid.