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An exciting match-up sees Fiji and Canada meeting on neutral ground on Saturday. Carbine, France is to be the setting for a game putting together two former Rugby World Cup Quarter Finalists.
Overall Fiji has been the better performer in matches between the sides. The Flying Fijians enter Saturday’s match with 7 wins, Canada do so with 3. Their most recent match was a Rugby World Cup 2015 warm-up. Fiji won convincingly, downing Canada 47-18 at The Stoop.
Canada’s most recent triumph was in 2013. Played in Ottawa in the defunct Pacific Nations Cup, the North Americans won 20-18 in what was a thrilling contest. That win remains Canada’s only victory over Fiji since 1995.
Fiji have made numerous changes for Saturday’s match. They begin up-front with Kali Tawake taking over from Manasa Saulo as the starting tightead prop. In the second row Clermont star Peceli Yato will start for the first time in the position. Usually a flanker, the move is highly experimental. Yato joins Leone Nakarawa with Api Ratuniyarawa missing out.
The flankers named to face Canada are Dominiko Waqaniburotu and Semu Kunatani. This sees veteran Akapusi Qera moving to No 8 from where he will again captain his country. Newcomer Ratunaisa Navuma is set for his test debut as Fiji’s replacement hooker.
In the backs there is a start for Frank Lomani at scrumhalf. He will have the Romanian-based Henry Seniloli as his deputy while Niko Matawalu will miss the match.
The backline is packed with dangerous finishers. So much so that Timoci Nagusa has to make do with a place on the bench while a spot for Jale Vatubua cannot be found. Nemani Nadolo, Levani Botia, Vereniki Goneva, Josua Tuisova, and Kini Murimurivalu are to all start.
A battered Canada are to be without 80 cap veteran Aaron Carpenter. He has been ruled out of the match through injury. There are also changes motivated by other reasons.
At hooker veteran Ray Barkwill drops to the bench. The starting spot goes to Benoît Pifféro, a player some seven years younger. Meanwhile at tighthead prop 25-year-old Jake Ilnicki takes over from the younger Matt Tierney.
On the bench Ben LeSage has been preferred to Guiseppe du Toit. He will have the opportunity to earn his second career international cap. It is a move of potential note ahead of the Rugby World Cup Qualifiers against Uruguay to open 2018.
Canada has new-found confidence on the back of toppling Spain. Fiji, in contrast are coming-off back-to-back losses against Italy and Ireland. Yet despite losing Fiji was in a position to win both matches. The star power in the team, notably in the second row, midfield and back three makes Fiji favorites to continue their impressive record over the North Americans.
FIJI
1 Campese Ma’afu, 2 Tale Tuapati, 3 Kali Tawake, 4 Peceli Yato, 5 Leone Nakarawa, 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu, 7 Semu Kunatani, 8 Akapusi Qera (capt.), 9 Frank Lomani, 10 Ben Volavola, 11 Nemani Nadolo, 12 Levani Botia, 13 Vereniki Goneva, 14 Josua Tuisova, 15 Kini Murimurivalu
Replacements: 16 Ratunaisa Navuma, 17 Joeli Veitayaki, 18 Ropate Rinakama, 19 Sikeli Nabou, 20 Nemani Nagusa, 21 Henry Seniloli, 22 Asaeli Tikoirotuma, 23 Timoci Nagusa
CANADA
1 Hubert Buydens, 2 Benoît Pifféro, 3 Jake Ilnicki, 4 Josh Larsen, 5 Evan Olmstead, 6 Kyle Baillie, 7 Matt Heaton, 8 Kyle Gilmour, 9 Phil Mack (capt.), 10 Patrick Parfrey, 11 Taylor Paris, 12 Ciaran Hearn, 13 DTH van der Merwe, 14 Brock Staller, 15 Andrew Coe
Replacements: 16 Ray Barkwill, 17 Djustice Sears-Duru, 18 Matt Tierney, 19 Brett Beukeboom, 20 Lucas Rumball, 21 Andrew Ferguson, 22 Ben LeSage, 23 Kainoa Lloyd
Date: Saturday, November 25
Venue: Parc des Sports et de l’Amitié, Narbonne
Kickoff: 18:00 local (13:00 Eastern, 10:00 Pacific)
Referee: Matthew Carley (RFU)
Assistants: Shuhei Kubo (JRFU) & Vlad Iordachescu (FRR)
TMO: Brian MacNeice (IRFU)
Broadcasts: World Rugby stream
