Fiji winger Jiuta Wainiqolo says his side are not feeling any pressure as they prepare for their critical World Cup opener against Wales on Sunday.
Fiji have risen to seventh in the World Rugby rankings after their first win against England last weekend at Twickenham.
They have lost just once all season, to world number two side France. Victories over Tonga, Samoa and Japan won them the Pacific Nations Cup, and the Flying Fijians hold their highest-ever ranking, above Pool C rivals Wales and Australia.
And Wainiqolo – who won Olympic Gold with Fiji Sevens at Tokyo 2020 before making the switch to the 15-a-side game – believes the Pacific Island team head into this tournament with one of the strongest sides they've ever had.
He said: “This is my first World Cup, but the boys who have already played in World Cups have said this is one of the best Fiji teams they've been involved in.
“We're young and very fit compared to previous teams, with some big names and senior players like Semi Radradra, wise guys playing in France, and young players in Super Rugby. It's a good mix.”
Fiji have reached the World Cup quarter-finals before, beating Wales in a thrilling 38-34 win that saw them progress to the knockout stages in 2007, but it is hard to dispute that this current team are the most consistent and well-oiled machine the nation has produced.
Historically, while having fleeting successes and sporadically running top tier opponents close, Fiji have always been held back by inconsistency in the physicality, game-management and discipline.
But as his coach Simon Raiwalui did in the press conference following the win over England, Wainiqolo credits the creation of the Fijian Drua just two seasons ago as being key to exposing Fijian players who don't play for other Super Rugby teams, in the Premiership or in the Top 14 – as he does with Toulon – to high-level rugby on a regular basis.
“In a lot of our games this year we've seen an improvement on previous World Cups in offsides and penalties for example,” he added.
“Thanks to the Fijian Rugby Union making the Drua team in Super Rugby, development is way better.
“It's made a big difference this year, to play in a quarter-final against Crusaders was great and they've been improving every year. It will be great next year with more games in Fiji, and the fans and the people of Fiji will love it.”
With the added weight of expectation that Fiji have heading into this World Cup, it would perhaps follow that this leaves them exposed to a level of pressure they have not been under in previous tournaments.
From being the fourth-highest ranked team in their pool in 2015 – in a group where Wales and Australia progressed – to being the third-highest in 2019, where the same two teams went through, they are now the first tier two nation to head into a World Cup as the top ranked team in any pool.
But Wainiqolo insists there is no added pressure.
“For me personally, I don't feel any pressure,” he added. “I've played in the Olympics, so this intensity is normal.
“Being named in the World Cup squad was a huge achievement for me, I am very proud for myself and my family to represent my country.
“In Fiji some supporters always say negative things, like every country, but we know ourselves. Through being in camp and training together we believe in ourselves and we're ready for one of the toughest World Cups.
“The tier one teams and so many tier two teams are stacked with big names. So we don't feel any pressure because all we can do is take it day-by-day to get everything right before the World Cup.
“Our main focus right now is Wales. We're really looking forward to that game. We got very close against Australia in the first game last time, so we know with the improvements we've made we've got a chance.”
