We’re asking fans to support us, so we should be out there supporting and investing in them - Raiwalui

We’re asking them to support us and invest in the team, so we should be out there supporting and investing in them.

Fiji Water Flying Fijians coach Simon Raiwalui highlighted this saying the biggest thing he wanted to bring was a re-connection to who they were, getting back to their base.

He says he wanted the boys to reconnect with where they started, not specifically their own village but how they grew up, why they love rugby, and who helped them get there.

The former Flying Fijian says it was great to get back to that.

He says they are a team that comes from all different parts of the world, they have obviously got the Drua, but to bring all the players together and into a village where they are sleeping in mattresses one metre apart, eating together, communicating again, it really broke down the barriers and made a really good connection.

The head coach says the groups that play together in Europe, or for Drua, were close, but now they are the Fiji Water Flying Fijians, one group, very tight.

He says they had a field out the front of the hall, a makeshift gym.

Raiwalui says it wasn’t meant to be perfection, things pop up, sometimes the field would be a bit hard.

He says village life is making the best of what they have, working for each other.

The head coach says when you are in the village environment you are a family, and you work for the betterment of your family and the village.

He adds they went to Semi Radradra’s village to visit and say ‘Thank you’, went to Iosefo Masi’s village, Selestino Ravutaumada’s village, it was a great opportunity to give thanks and he wanted to be seen by the people, because that is who they are playing for.

Fiji play Wales at 7am next Monday in their first RWC game.

The RWC kicks off this Saturday with hosts France taking on the All Blacks at 7.15 am in Paris.

Source: codesports.com.au

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