Pacific Nations Cup: Captain Anticipates an Exciting Duel in the Suva Opening Match.
Rugby fans in Fiji can look forward to an exciting show on Friday as the 2024 Pacific Nations Cup kicks off with the FIJI Water Flying Fijians taking against Manu Samoa. This highly anticipated match between two Pacific Island rivals is set to take place at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva, and it promises to be a hard competition.
Over the course of their historic rivalry, which dates back over a century, Fiji and Samoa have faced off 55 times since their first meeting in 1924. At Apia Park, the visiting Fijians defeated the Samoans on that particular occasion. But Samoa’s 8-3 victory at home in their inaugural Pacific Nations Cup match in 2007 was a historic victory. This early victory created the foundation for the tournament’s long-lasting and intense rivalry.
In their 15 meetings in the Pacific Nations Cup, Fiji has won nine times to Samoa’s six. This gives Fiji a small advantage over Samoa historically. After winning at Apia Park the previous year, the Flying Fijians will be eager to capitalize on their recent success and try to defeat their Pacific rivals twice in a row.
There’s a new commander in charge of the Flying Fijians as anticipation for their impending match grows. Tevita Ikanivere, a hooker, was named captain for the game and he was grateful and excited about the position. Ikanivere remarked, “I’m humbled and honored to have been chosen as Captain for this tour.” It’s a wonderful privilege that I wasn’t prepared for. The possibilities and challenges that lie ahead excite me, especially because the squad is adding a lot of fresh players. Together, we hope to make some history.
The physical aspect of the contest versus Manu Samoa was acknowledged by Ikanivere, who also mentioned that the Samoans will be motivated to get revenge for their loss the previous year. “I know it will be a physical battle because I played against them for several years.” No team enjoys losing at home, so I’m sure Samoa will be motivated to win after losing last year, the speaker continued.
The 2024 Pacific Nations Cup features two pools: Fiji is grouped with Tonga and Samoa in Pool A, while Japan, Canada, and the USA comprise Pool B. The match between the Flying Fijians and Manu Samoa is set to kick off at 6 p.m. next Friday, marking Fiji’s only home game of the year.