The FIJI Water Flying Fijians are an excellent team. We were tied 17-17 at halftime but ended up losing 32-45.
It was unfortunate that after traveling halfway across the globe and arriving in London on Thursday night to face the star-studded Barbarians on Saturday evening, everything seemed stacked against Fiji.
It was too much to expect a better result; it was unfair to expect our courageous players to perform any better. This situation should not have been allowed. Was there enough time to recover from jet lag?
The Flying Fijian spirit deserves greater respect and consideration before subjecting us to such difficult and unfair circumstances.
Traveling this great distance across 13 time zones to play at Twickenham, London, demands acknowledgement.
This is my perspective for future reference: the FRU should do better next time.
Such high expectations seem cruel, almost unsportsmanlike and unprofessional, in my opinion.
Thank you, FIJI Water, for your significant sponsorship. Thank you to Mick Byrne and all the support staff. A special thanks to ‘Captain Courageous,’ Nadi native Derenalagi, and our proud, gutsy Flying Fijian team of June 2024. You make us proud beyond words.
Vinaka vakalevu na waqe vinaka; na waqe kaikai. Mutu kalougata vali.
A 32-45 scoreline is commendable after facing such unacceptable challenges. British commentators did not provide sufficient coverage of the Flying Fijians amidst these challenging circumstances and expectations.
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