Fiji looking forward rather than at Wallabies triumph
In their last meeting in 2023, the Fijians broke a 69-year drought by beating Australia 22-15 in France to effectively send them packing from the tournament.
Ahead of Sunday's Test in Newcastle, Wallabies flanker Fraser McReight admitted watching vision this week was the first time he'd revisited the game.
Fiji coach Mick Byrne, a former Wallabies, All Blacks and Scotland assistant, said they also weren't fixated on that match given the change in Australia's coach and player personnel.
Joe Schmidt has replaced Eddie Jones, while it's likely only eight or nine Wallabies players from the Saint Etienne clash - with Ben Donaldson and Nic White the only possible backs - will feature in the match-day 23 this week.
Byrne, who has also taken over as coach from Simon Raiwalui, has 14 players backing up as he selects a line-up from 13 Drua players, 10 from the Top 14 in France and five from the England premiership when teams are named on Friday.
"It's a different coaching group, they're playing a different brand of rugby to what was played back then," Byrne said of the Wallabies.
"We've been looking at them at their last time out in November, and I think that, knowing the team that the coaching team have put together, they're going very well.
"I'm not sure they'll have their eye on two years ago, so I think they'll have their eye firmly planted on Sunday, and we've got the same, it's the game in front of us, that's the most important one."
The Pacific Islanders also claimed the scalp of Wales in Cardiff last November and Bill Mata, who has joined their camp in Newcastle from the Bristol Bears, said such results had given the players belief.
"Totally, we've done it once, so surely we can do it again and to get a win over Australia in Australia, that would be massive for the whole team," said Mata, who started at No.8 in their World Cup clash.
With their first Test against the British and Irish Lions looming in Brisbane on July 19, the Wallabies are juggling two different preparations and timelines but Byrne believed master tactician Schmidt will have his team primed.
"I think they'll be well-versed in their game as they've had camps and they've been together for two weeks so they'll know the sort of rugby they want to play.
"They have the same coaching group from last year and they may have tweaked a few things but I expect that they'll be pretty well versed in what they need to do, and they'll be able to come out on Sunday and present themselves at their best."
The match will be attended by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese and his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka, and Byrne said he would like the Vuvale Bowl to be an annual Test fixture.
Fiji are hosting Scotland in Suva following the Wallabies Test.
"An annual home and away series would be awesome - get Australia out of their comfort zone and come and play us in in Suva or in Fiji somewhere, that would be awesome," Byrne said.
While the Wallabies have tried to forget their Rugby World Cup horror show, Fiji also aren't dwelling on one of their greatest triumphs.
In their last meeting in 2023, the Fijians broke a 69-year drought by beating Australia 22-15 in France to effectively send them packing from the tournament.
Ahead of Sunday's Test in Newcastle, Wallabies flanker Fraser McReight admitted watching vision this week was the first time he'd revisited the game.
Fiji coach Mick Byrne, a former Wallabies, All Blacks and Scotland assistant, said they also weren't fixated on that match given the change in Australia's coach and player personnel.
Joe Schmidt has replaced Eddie Jones, while it's likely only eight or nine Wallabies players from the Saint Etienne clash - with Ben Donaldson and Nic White the only possible backs - will feature in the match-day 23 this week.
Byrne, who has also taken over as coach from Simon Raiwalui, has 14 players backing up as he selects a line-up from 13 Drua players, 10 from the Top 14 in France and five from the England premiership when teams are named on Friday.
"It's a different coaching group, they're playing a different brand of rugby to what was played back then," Byrne said of the Wallabies.
"We've been looking at them at their last time out in November, and I think that, knowing the team that the coaching team have put together, they're going very well.
"I'm not sure they'll have their eye on two years ago, so I think they'll have their eye firmly planted on Sunday, and we've got the same, it's the game in front of us, that's the most important one."
The Pacific Islanders also claimed the scalp of Wales in Cardiff last November and Bill Mata, who has joined their camp in Newcastle from the Bristol Bears, said such results had given the players belief.
"Totally, we've done it once, so surely we can do it again and to get a win over Australia in Australia, that would be massive for the whole team," said Mata, who started at No.8 in their World Cup clash.
With their first Test against the British and Irish Lions looming in Brisbane on July 19, the Wallabies are juggling two different preparations and timelines but Byrne believed master tactician Schmidt will have his team primed.
"I think they'll be well-versed in their game as they've had camps and they've been together for two weeks so they'll know the sort of rugby they want to play.
"They have the same coaching group from last year and they may have tweaked a few things but I expect that they'll be pretty well versed in what they need to do, and they'll be able to come out on Sunday and present themselves at their best."
The match will be attended by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese and his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka, and Byrne said he would like the Vuvale Bowl to be an annual Test fixture.
Fiji are hosting Scotland in Suva following the Wallabies Test.
"An annual home and away series would be awesome - get Australia out of their comfort zone and come and play us in in Suva or in Fiji somewhere, that would be awesome," Byrne said.
While the Wallabies have tried to forget their Rugby World Cup horror show, Fiji also aren't dwelling on one of their greatest triumphs.
In their last meeting in 2023, the Fijians broke a 69-year drought by beating Australia 22-15 in France to effectively send them packing from the tournament.
Ahead of Sunday's Test in Newcastle, Wallabies flanker Fraser McReight admitted watching vision this week was the first time he'd revisited the game.
Fiji coach Mick Byrne, a former Wallabies, All Blacks and Scotland assistant, said they also weren't fixated on that match given the change in Australia's coach and player personnel.
Joe Schmidt has replaced Eddie Jones, while it's likely only eight or nine Wallabies players from the Saint Etienne clash - with Ben Donaldson and Nic White the only possible backs - will feature in the match-day 23 this week.
Byrne, who has also taken over as coach from Simon Raiwalui, has 14 players backing up as he selects a line-up from 13 Drua players, 10 from the Top 14 in France and five from the England premiership when teams are named on Friday.
"It's a different coaching group, they're playing a different brand of rugby to what was played back then," Byrne said of the Wallabies.
"We've been looking at them at their last time out in November, and I think that, knowing the team that the coaching team have put together, they're going very well.
"I'm not sure they'll have their eye on two years ago, so I think they'll have their eye firmly planted on Sunday, and we've got the same, it's the game in front of us, that's the most important one."
The Pacific Islanders also claimed the scalp of Wales in Cardiff last November and Bill Mata, who has joined their camp in Newcastle from the Bristol Bears, said such results had given the players belief.
"Totally, we've done it once, so surely we can do it again and to get a win over Australia in Australia, that would be massive for the whole team," said Mata, who started at No.8 in their World Cup clash.
With their first Test against the British and Irish Lions looming in Brisbane on July 19, the Wallabies are juggling two different preparations and timelines but Byrne believed master tactician Schmidt will have his team primed.
"I think they'll be well-versed in their game as they've had camps and they've been together for two weeks so they'll know the sort of rugby they want to play.
"They have the same coaching group from last year and they may have tweaked a few things but I expect that they'll be pretty well versed in what they need to do, and they'll be able to come out on Sunday and present themselves at their best."
The match will be attended by Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese and his Fijian counterpart Sitiveni Rabuka, and Byrne said he would like the Vuvale Bowl to be an annual Test fixture.
Fiji are hosting Scotland in Suva following the Wallabies Test.
"An annual home and away series would be awesome - get Australia out of their comfort zone and come and play us in in Suva or in Fiji somewhere, that would be awesome," Byrne said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
25 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Australian Open champ joins Wimbledon seeds cull
Madison Keys' dream of completing a famous double is over as the Australian Open champ became the 18th women's seed and latest grand slam champion to be dumped out of this shock-laden Wimbledon. The sixth-seeded American was sent crashing on American Independence Day 6-3 6-3 by the tough German veteran Laura Siegmund as she became the fifth of the top-six seeds, and sixth out of the top-10, to be sent spinning out of the event on Friday. Keys had been out to become the first player since Amelie Mauresmo, in 2006, to pull off the AO-Wimbledon double but the world No.104 Siegemund, playing some of her best tennis at 37, was in inspired mood in the sunshine on No.2 Court. She outplayed the big-hitting American and even when getting nervous with the winning line in sight, held her nerve. "If you don't have nerves, then you're probably dead!" she joked with the crowd afterwards. "I only play for myself, I don't feel like I need to prove anything any more - my boyfriend tells me that," beamed Siegemund, now the oldest player left in the women's draw. "It's important to remember the core of why you are doing this. I'm playing for me and I don't feel pressure this way." She'll next play Solana Sierra, who became the first woman 'lucky loser' to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon, beating Spain's Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1. How must this have made Australian Talia Gibson feel? She had knocked out Sierra out in the final match of qualifying, only to get knocked out in the first round herself. Meanwhile, her Argentine victim Sierra got a reprieve and was brought into the draw as a 'lucky loser' and has since won three matches, knocking out another Australian Olivia Gadecki in the opening round and Alex de Minaur's British fiancee Katie Boulter in the second. Earlier, four-time major winner Naomi Osaka's hope of finally getting to the last-16 of a slam that's she's never mastered fell short as she surrendered a one-set lead to go down 3-6 6-4 6-4 to former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The former world No.1, who's been a two-time champion at both the US Open and Australian Open, hadn't been in the last-32 for seven years She looked set to claim a small piece of personal history before failing to capitalise on two break points at 4-4 in set two and subsequently going down 3-6 6-4 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist nine years ago, will next take on the soaring Briton Sonay Kartal, who had the home crowd cheering on No.1 Court as she defeated French qualifier Diane Parry 6-4 6-2 to make the last-16 of a grand slam for the first time in her career. The 23-year-old Kartal, ranked 298 this time last year, will now break into the top 50 and could even finish the tournament as British No.1, ahead of the Emma Raducanu and Boulter. American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova at least avoided the cull of seeds, as she beat Hungary's Dalma Galfi 6-3 5-7 6-3. Madison Keys' dream of completing a famous double is over as the Australian Open champ became the 18th women's seed and latest grand slam champion to be dumped out of this shock-laden Wimbledon. The sixth-seeded American was sent crashing on American Independence Day 6-3 6-3 by the tough German veteran Laura Siegmund as she became the fifth of the top-six seeds, and sixth out of the top-10, to be sent spinning out of the event on Friday. Keys had been out to become the first player since Amelie Mauresmo, in 2006, to pull off the AO-Wimbledon double but the world No.104 Siegemund, playing some of her best tennis at 37, was in inspired mood in the sunshine on No.2 Court. She outplayed the big-hitting American and even when getting nervous with the winning line in sight, held her nerve. "If you don't have nerves, then you're probably dead!" she joked with the crowd afterwards. "I only play for myself, I don't feel like I need to prove anything any more - my boyfriend tells me that," beamed Siegemund, now the oldest player left in the women's draw. "It's important to remember the core of why you are doing this. I'm playing for me and I don't feel pressure this way." She'll next play Solana Sierra, who became the first woman 'lucky loser' to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon, beating Spain's Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1. How must this have made Australian Talia Gibson feel? She had knocked out Sierra out in the final match of qualifying, only to get knocked out in the first round herself. Meanwhile, her Argentine victim Sierra got a reprieve and was brought into the draw as a 'lucky loser' and has since won three matches, knocking out another Australian Olivia Gadecki in the opening round and Alex de Minaur's British fiancee Katie Boulter in the second. Earlier, four-time major winner Naomi Osaka's hope of finally getting to the last-16 of a slam that's she's never mastered fell short as she surrendered a one-set lead to go down 3-6 6-4 6-4 to former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The former world No.1, who's been a two-time champion at both the US Open and Australian Open, hadn't been in the last-32 for seven years She looked set to claim a small piece of personal history before failing to capitalise on two break points at 4-4 in set two and subsequently going down 3-6 6-4 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist nine years ago, will next take on the soaring Briton Sonay Kartal, who had the home crowd cheering on No.1 Court as she defeated French qualifier Diane Parry 6-4 6-2 to make the last-16 of a grand slam for the first time in her career. The 23-year-old Kartal, ranked 298 this time last year, will now break into the top 50 and could even finish the tournament as British No.1, ahead of the Emma Raducanu and Boulter. American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova at least avoided the cull of seeds, as she beat Hungary's Dalma Galfi 6-3 5-7 6-3. Madison Keys' dream of completing a famous double is over as the Australian Open champ became the 18th women's seed and latest grand slam champion to be dumped out of this shock-laden Wimbledon. The sixth-seeded American was sent crashing on American Independence Day 6-3 6-3 by the tough German veteran Laura Siegmund as she became the fifth of the top-six seeds, and sixth out of the top-10, to be sent spinning out of the event on Friday. Keys had been out to become the first player since Amelie Mauresmo, in 2006, to pull off the AO-Wimbledon double but the world No.104 Siegemund, playing some of her best tennis at 37, was in inspired mood in the sunshine on No.2 Court. She outplayed the big-hitting American and even when getting nervous with the winning line in sight, held her nerve. "If you don't have nerves, then you're probably dead!" she joked with the crowd afterwards. "I only play for myself, I don't feel like I need to prove anything any more - my boyfriend tells me that," beamed Siegemund, now the oldest player left in the women's draw. "It's important to remember the core of why you are doing this. I'm playing for me and I don't feel pressure this way." She'll next play Solana Sierra, who became the first woman 'lucky loser' to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon, beating Spain's Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1. How must this have made Australian Talia Gibson feel? She had knocked out Sierra out in the final match of qualifying, only to get knocked out in the first round herself. Meanwhile, her Argentine victim Sierra got a reprieve and was brought into the draw as a 'lucky loser' and has since won three matches, knocking out another Australian Olivia Gadecki in the opening round and Alex de Minaur's British fiancee Katie Boulter in the second. Earlier, four-time major winner Naomi Osaka's hope of finally getting to the last-16 of a slam that's she's never mastered fell short as she surrendered a one-set lead to go down 3-6 6-4 6-4 to former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The former world No.1, who's been a two-time champion at both the US Open and Australian Open, hadn't been in the last-32 for seven years She looked set to claim a small piece of personal history before failing to capitalise on two break points at 4-4 in set two and subsequently going down 3-6 6-4 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist nine years ago, will next take on the soaring Briton Sonay Kartal, who had the home crowd cheering on No.1 Court as she defeated French qualifier Diane Parry 6-4 6-2 to make the last-16 of a grand slam for the first time in her career. The 23-year-old Kartal, ranked 298 this time last year, will now break into the top 50 and could even finish the tournament as British No.1, ahead of the Emma Raducanu and Boulter. American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova at least avoided the cull of seeds, as she beat Hungary's Dalma Galfi 6-3 5-7 6-3. Madison Keys' dream of completing a famous double is over as the Australian Open champ became the 18th women's seed and latest grand slam champion to be dumped out of this shock-laden Wimbledon. The sixth-seeded American was sent crashing on American Independence Day 6-3 6-3 by the tough German veteran Laura Siegmund as she became the fifth of the top-six seeds, and sixth out of the top-10, to be sent spinning out of the event on Friday. Keys had been out to become the first player since Amelie Mauresmo, in 2006, to pull off the AO-Wimbledon double but the world No.104 Siegemund, playing some of her best tennis at 37, was in inspired mood in the sunshine on No.2 Court. She outplayed the big-hitting American and even when getting nervous with the winning line in sight, held her nerve. "If you don't have nerves, then you're probably dead!" she joked with the crowd afterwards. "I only play for myself, I don't feel like I need to prove anything any more - my boyfriend tells me that," beamed Siegemund, now the oldest player left in the women's draw. "It's important to remember the core of why you are doing this. I'm playing for me and I don't feel pressure this way." She'll next play Solana Sierra, who became the first woman 'lucky loser' to reach the fourth round at Wimbledon, beating Spain's Cristina Bucsa 7-5 1-6 6-1. How must this have made Australian Talia Gibson feel? She had knocked out Sierra out in the final match of qualifying, only to get knocked out in the first round herself. Meanwhile, her Argentine victim Sierra got a reprieve and was brought into the draw as a 'lucky loser' and has since won three matches, knocking out another Australian Olivia Gadecki in the opening round and Alex de Minaur's British fiancee Katie Boulter in the second. Earlier, four-time major winner Naomi Osaka's hope of finally getting to the last-16 of a slam that's she's never mastered fell short as she surrendered a one-set lead to go down 3-6 6-4 6-4 to former French Open finalist Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The former world No.1, who's been a two-time champion at both the US Open and Australian Open, hadn't been in the last-32 for seven years She looked set to claim a small piece of personal history before failing to capitalise on two break points at 4-4 in set two and subsequently going down 3-6 6-4 6-4. Pavlyuchenkova, a Wimbledon quarter-finalist nine years ago, will next take on the soaring Briton Sonay Kartal, who had the home crowd cheering on No.1 Court as she defeated French qualifier Diane Parry 6-4 6-2 to make the last-16 of a grand slam for the first time in her career. The 23-year-old Kartal, ranked 298 this time last year, will now break into the top 50 and could even finish the tournament as British No.1, ahead of the Emma Raducanu and Boulter. American 13th seed Amanda Anisimova at least avoided the cull of seeds, as she beat Hungary's Dalma Galfi 6-3 5-7 6-3.
The Advertiser
26 minutes ago
- The Advertiser
Tupou needs to tame Lions to earn Wallabies recall
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt wants Taniela Tupou to send a reminder about what he can bring to the Test arena when the powerhouse prop squares off against the Lions. Tupou was demoted from the Wallabies line-up to face Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday and will instead turn out for his NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish tourists at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. Schmidt hasn't closed the book on Tupou winning selection for the Wallabies' opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19 but said he needs to see more from the 29-year-old, who was in patchy form this Super Rugby Pacific season. "With Taniela, I'd love to see him just be really, really strong at set-piece," Schmidt said from Newcastle. "I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby, toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum, and then just making sure he's contributing around the field as best he can." Schmidt said that the best form of Tupou's 58-Test career wasn't that long ago, and urged the France-bound prop to revisit his last international appearance, against Ireland in December. "The last game he played for us was against Ireland and he made a 50-metre dash up the field at one stage and he was very strong in the scrum. "And so we haven't forgotten that and I'm hoping, and I've spoken to "Nella", that he hasn't forgotten it either. "He knows he's capable and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability." The Waratahs mark the third tour match for the Lions, who have had commanding victories over the Western Force and Queensland Reds. Andy Farrell's men have been particularly dominant in the second half, outscoring the two Australian sides 64-0. Schmidt said the tourists hadn't been at their best in those victories, which demonstrated their massive depth. "They've been pretty impressive," Schmidt said. "I think in the two games in the first 20 minutes they haven't really started that well ... they've actually missed a few opportunities and the more cohesion they develop, the more they'll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities. "They've got incredible strength and depth so as we see them play the Waratahs they'll develop those combinations and that will be what we'll be tracking beyond this Fiji game." Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt wants Taniela Tupou to send a reminder about what he can bring to the Test arena when the powerhouse prop squares off against the Lions. Tupou was demoted from the Wallabies line-up to face Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday and will instead turn out for his NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish tourists at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. Schmidt hasn't closed the book on Tupou winning selection for the Wallabies' opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19 but said he needs to see more from the 29-year-old, who was in patchy form this Super Rugby Pacific season. "With Taniela, I'd love to see him just be really, really strong at set-piece," Schmidt said from Newcastle. "I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby, toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum, and then just making sure he's contributing around the field as best he can." Schmidt said that the best form of Tupou's 58-Test career wasn't that long ago, and urged the France-bound prop to revisit his last international appearance, against Ireland in December. "The last game he played for us was against Ireland and he made a 50-metre dash up the field at one stage and he was very strong in the scrum. "And so we haven't forgotten that and I'm hoping, and I've spoken to "Nella", that he hasn't forgotten it either. "He knows he's capable and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability." The Waratahs mark the third tour match for the Lions, who have had commanding victories over the Western Force and Queensland Reds. Andy Farrell's men have been particularly dominant in the second half, outscoring the two Australian sides 64-0. Schmidt said the tourists hadn't been at their best in those victories, which demonstrated their massive depth. "They've been pretty impressive," Schmidt said. "I think in the two games in the first 20 minutes they haven't really started that well ... they've actually missed a few opportunities and the more cohesion they develop, the more they'll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities. "They've got incredible strength and depth so as we see them play the Waratahs they'll develop those combinations and that will be what we'll be tracking beyond this Fiji game." Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt wants Taniela Tupou to send a reminder about what he can bring to the Test arena when the powerhouse prop squares off against the Lions. Tupou was demoted from the Wallabies line-up to face Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday and will instead turn out for his NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish tourists at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. Schmidt hasn't closed the book on Tupou winning selection for the Wallabies' opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19 but said he needs to see more from the 29-year-old, who was in patchy form this Super Rugby Pacific season. "With Taniela, I'd love to see him just be really, really strong at set-piece," Schmidt said from Newcastle. "I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby, toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum, and then just making sure he's contributing around the field as best he can." Schmidt said that the best form of Tupou's 58-Test career wasn't that long ago, and urged the France-bound prop to revisit his last international appearance, against Ireland in December. "The last game he played for us was against Ireland and he made a 50-metre dash up the field at one stage and he was very strong in the scrum. "And so we haven't forgotten that and I'm hoping, and I've spoken to "Nella", that he hasn't forgotten it either. "He knows he's capable and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability." The Waratahs mark the third tour match for the Lions, who have had commanding victories over the Western Force and Queensland Reds. Andy Farrell's men have been particularly dominant in the second half, outscoring the two Australian sides 64-0. Schmidt said the tourists hadn't been at their best in those victories, which demonstrated their massive depth. "They've been pretty impressive," Schmidt said. "I think in the two games in the first 20 minutes they haven't really started that well ... they've actually missed a few opportunities and the more cohesion they develop, the more they'll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities. "They've got incredible strength and depth so as we see them play the Waratahs they'll develop those combinations and that will be what we'll be tracking beyond this Fiji game."
Perth Now
an hour ago
- Perth Now
Tupou needs to tame Lions to earn Wallabies recall
Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt wants Taniela Tupou to send a reminder about what he can bring to the Test arena when the powerhouse prop squares off against the Lions. Tupou was demoted from the Wallabies line-up to face Fiji in Newcastle on Sunday and will instead turn out for his NSW Waratahs against the British and Irish tourists at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. Schmidt hasn't closed the book on Tupou winning selection for the Wallabies' opening Test against the Lions in Brisbane on July 19 but said he needs to see more from the 29-year-old, who was in patchy form this Super Rugby Pacific season. "With Taniela, I'd love to see him just be really, really strong at set-piece," Schmidt said from Newcastle. "I think the set-piece is somewhere that can be a real strength for him and I felt in the Super Rugby, toward the end, he had some pretty good performances, particularly in the scrum, and then just making sure he's contributing around the field as best he can." Schmidt said that the best form of Tupou's 58-Test career wasn't that long ago, and urged the France-bound prop to revisit his last international appearance, against Ireland in December. "The last game he played for us was against Ireland and he made a 50-metre dash up the field at one stage and he was very strong in the scrum. "And so we haven't forgotten that and I'm hoping, and I've spoken to "Nella", that he hasn't forgotten it either. "He knows he's capable and we just want to see him demonstrate that capability." The Waratahs mark the third tour match for the Lions, who have had commanding victories over the Western Force and Queensland Reds. Andy Farrell's men have been particularly dominant in the second half, outscoring the two Australian sides 64-0. Schmidt said the tourists hadn't been at their best in those victories, which demonstrated their massive depth. "They've been pretty impressive," Schmidt said. "I think in the two games in the first 20 minutes they haven't really started that well ... they've actually missed a few opportunities and the more cohesion they develop, the more they'll be dangerous in finishing some of those opportunities. "They've got incredible strength and depth so as we see them play the Waratahs they'll develop those combinations and that will be what we'll be tracking beyond this Fiji game."
