Bank Of Ireland Nations Series: Ireland v Fiji

Jonathan Sexton first captained Ireland against Russia at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan and was then made permanent captain, following Andy Farrell’s appointment as Ireland head coach and the retirement of Rory Best.

Since taking the coaching reins, Farrell has facilitated opportunities for the leadership group to assume the captaincy role, with James Ryan first skippering the side against England in 2020 and on three other subsequent occasions, while Iain Henderson led the team against France in 2021.

There are five players in the starting XV to face Fiji that started games against the Māori All Blacks during the summer tour to New Zealand –  Jimmy O’Brien, Stuart McCloskey, Loughman, Kieran Treadwell and Nick Timoney.

Tom O’Toole, Connacht ace Prendergast and Craig Casey, who are amongst the replacements for this afternoon’s game, also started matches in the Māori Series.

Test newcomers Loughman, Prendergast and Crowley all featured for Ireland ‘A’ against the All Blacks XV last weekend along with Max Deegan, who is in line for his second cap having made his debut against Wales in February 2020.

Deegan, Prendergast and Crowley were also part of the successful Emerging Ireland tour to Bloemfontein.

Speaking about debutant loosehead Loughman and the collective need to improve aspects of last week’s performance, Farrell said: “The potential is there for Jeremy. The tour to New Zealand was fantastic for him – just mixing with the experience of Cian (Healy) and Tadhg (Furlong) and so on, just seeing how they go about their work on a daily basis.

“So, we’re excited to see him take his chance. It’s very important, isn’t it, that you manage your emotions as a first-capper and make sure that you’re able to put your best performance out there.

“It takes a mentally strong person to be able to do that and he’s getting much, much stronger in that regard.

“He’s powerful, unbelievably powerful and his scrummaging has come on no end over the last six months. And he could add to our game, you know? He gets his opportunity to show that.

“While we feel we have made strides in all sorts of different areas, this is a good game to see where we are.

“I got asked last week, ‘is this the biggest game you have ever been involved in?’, and I said, ‘it is until next week’, because that (win over South Africa) has gone.

“This Fiji game is here now and this is all that matters because you are going to get judged on your performance, so there are still the same pressures on that.

“There is plenty to improve upon and we’re an honest enough bunch to get it out there as early as we can, and most of it comes from the players.

“They know the standards we set for ourselves, so therefore their own review of their own game and the team performance comes from there.

“We had a few balls turned over at the ruck against us (last week), some of the work off the ball wasn’t up to scratch. Those are the little pieces that matter a hell of a lot to us.

“As an example, our skill set under pressure (from South Africa) was dodgy at times. These are all areas we can get better at.”

Cotter’s men provided a stern test for Scotland in Edinburgh last weekend, scoring first half tries through Setariki Tuicuvu and Ratu Leone Rotuisolia before the hosts pulled away to win 28-12.

Brive clubman Tuicuvu switches to full-back this week to replace the injured Kini Murimurivalu and there is a start out wide for the fit-again Jiuta Wainiqolo.

Vilimoni Botitu, who is nursing a knee injury, makes way for the three-times capped Teti Tela who makes up an all-Fijian Drua half-back partnership with Frank Lomani.

Toulon’s Waisea Nayacalevu captains the team from midfield, while there are six other France-based players in the matchday squad. There are six who ply their trade in the UK.

Saracens’ Eroni Mawi and Northampton Saints hooker Sam Matavesi continue in the front row alongside Manasa Saulo, and Rotuisolia, a debutant against Scotland, is joined at lock by Isoa Nasilasila, another recent new cap.

Fiji will field an experienced back row made up of Edinburgh powerhouse Viliame Mata at number 8, La Rochelle’s ‘demolition man’ Levani Botia at openside flanker, and Gloucester’s Albert Tuisue on the blindside.

There is plenty of squad rotation on the replacements bench where Mesulame Dolokoto, Lee-Roy Atalifo, John Dyer, who last played at international level in July 2021, Ben Volavola and Simione Kuruvoli are all involved.

There could be a Test debut for Castres Olympique centre Adrea Cocagi, whose time playing in France has also seen him line out for Stade Francais, Tarbes and Perpignan.

Pre-Match Quotes: Simon Easterby (Ireland) –

You only have to look back to 2017 when we last played Fiji and there were three points in it, it was 20-all with 73 minutes gone. We’re showing as much respect to this Fijian side as we would to any team.

“It’s about our performance and how good we can be on the weekend. But we’ve certainly invested plenty of time into understanding what they might pose, the threats they’ll pose, the opportunities that might present themselves if we play a certain way.

“We can only look after what we do and believe me we’ve worked hard on making sure that these guys are prepped in the right way as they would be for any international.

“Jack (Crowley) has found a way to make us stand up and go, ‘wow, this guy’s got something’. He is hungry for understanding and learning and getting better each day.

“They (Crowley and Prendergast) are both good guys as well, and they’re both massively desperate to keep progressing, keep learning and keep getting better.

“Jack’s story is a little bit different. He’s sort of found his way into the group in a slightly different way having had limited game-time at 10 for Munster this year, but he has a lot of strong attributes and things that we as coaches and his peers have been really impressed with.

“Cian has had good game-time with Connacht and he’s progressed really well and we’re super impressed with his attitude. He fits into the way we want to play, the way Paul (O’Connell) and Fogs (Denis Fogarty) want the forwards to play in particular.

“I think that’s a credit to him to way he’s gone about his business in what is a super competitive position, the back row, for Ireland, it always is.”

Vern Cotter (Fiji) –

We will have to step up against Ireland. There’s three main access (points) we are working on. We want to work on how we carry the ball and clean the ball so have to provide a fast ball.

“We want to improve our defence, and we want to be on top of our game in our set piece. Ireland’s game against South Africa has given them an enormous amount of confidence.

“They are barely looking at us because they have Australia the week after. For them, it’s just a training session and for us, it’s a game where we can learn so we will use this opportunity to get better.

“They are a very good team. They are not only physical but very slick, very good short passing game, in and around rucks, they can move the ball wide quickly and they have a better kicking game.”

Pre-Match Links –

Ireland v Fiji – Coming To The Game? All You Need To Know

Furlong: Fiji Are Well Coached, Physical And Direct

McCloskey Focused On ‘Going Out And Showing What I Can Do’

Loughman Wants Ireland Debut To Be ‘A Stepping Stone’

In Pics: Ireland Captain’s Run At Aviva Stadium

Recent Meetings –

2002: Autumn Test: Ireland 64 Fiji 17, Lansdowne Road

2009: Autumn Test: Ireland 41 Fiji 6, the RDS

2017: GUINNESS Series: Ireland 23 Fiji 20, Aviva Stadium

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