Fiji playing for its people and all of rugby's dreamers in World Cup quarterfinals against England

In the small hours of Monday morning, the rugby-mad people of Fiji will head into the city or take a boat to the local village and gather around a television set showing one of the biggest sporting occasions in the republic’s history.

Yet the Flying Fijians are representing more than just the 900,000 people spread around the nation’s 110 or so inhabited islands when they take on England in the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals in Marseille on Sunday.

They also are playing for every international rugby team that dares to dream.

“First and foremost I’m proud to be a Fijian,” Fiji coach Simon Raiwalui said, “but I'm also proud of the so-called developing nations, pushing for the global game, how we can improve it and get more opportunities, how we break that barrier down.

“This World Cup has been a fantastic example of other teams coming in and playing fantastic rugby and putting on a spectacle for the world. We're proud of where we come from and we want to embrace that.”

Raiwalui is referring to the likes of Portugal and Chile who have lit up this 10th Rugby World Cup with their passionate fans off the field and never-say-die spirit on it.

Their time may come. For Fiji, the moment is right in front of them.

Since rugby turned professional after the 1995 World Cup, only twice have tier-two teams reached the quarterfinals: Fiji in 2007 and Japan in 2019. They didn’t get any further.

Sixteen years later, Fiji is back in the last eight and back in Marseille — the scene of the 37-20 loss to the Springboks in those 2007 quarterfinals.

This is a very different Fiji, though. A better-prepared Fiji. A Fiji with players dotted around some of the top teams in Europe and from the nation’s own newly established Super Rugby team, Fijian Drua, which brings a ready-made togetherness to a richly talented group of athletes.

A Fiji that beat England only six weeks ago, a victory that sent excitement levels through the roof back home and a jolt of fear among the rest of rugby’s elite.

The Fijians lived up to their billing, advancing from the pool stage — just — and eliminating Australia in the process.

This quarterfinal couldn’t be further from a gimme for England.

“For us, as Fijians, when we smile, nothing can stop us,” Fiji winger Semi Radradra said. “For this week, we have to enjoy it, make the most of it because, like we’ve always said, this moment will never come back. The quarterfinal will never come back.”

Enjoyment has been tinged with sadness this week, however, for a squad that has been dealing with grief for much of the tournament. Hot on the heels of the death of center Josua Tuisova’s 7-year-old son, Tito, following a long, debilitating illness came news of the passing of the father of first-choice hooker Sam Matavesi.

Matavesi returned to training only on Friday and will start on the bench on Sunday.

“He was adamant that he wanted to be here,” Raiwalui said of Matavesi. "He’s a fantastic young man, very good on his details, so there are no worries there. It’s just a matter of him grieving but I have no doubt that he will be ready to play.”

England's players are in the role of party-poopers this weekend. Much of the rugby world — and most casual observers — will be against them and they said during the week they relish and embrace that tag.

They say they've learned lessons from that first ever loss to Fiji on that damp August afternoon at Twickenham and are a different team to then.

“We feel like we’ve moved on — that feels like a long time ago,” said England captain Owen Farrell, who was suspended for that game.

England, the world champion in 2003 and beaten finalist in 2007 and 2019, won all four of its matches in the most benign of World Cup pools but Steve Borthwick's team remains hard to judge. The semifinals likely are its limit given host nation France or defending champion South Africa is up next.

For Borthwick, it's a real test of his coaching nous less than a year since being parachuted into the job following the departure of Eddie Jones. Losing to Fiji in a World Cup quarterfinal is hardly the platform on which he wants to build his tenure.

“These players will embrace this challenge — that’s my expectation,” Borthwick said. "There’s a lot of players who have experienced knockout rugby and lifted trophies."

Borthwick is known for being bland and dry but also thorough in his planning, and he has made a bold call in the biggest team selection of his life.

Marcus Smith, typically a flyhalf, was picked to play at fullback for only the second time in his career. The first was in the pool match against Chile and that was thought to be just an experiment.

However, Borthwick is going with the same ploy again, dropping Freddie Steward — who has been a solid option at fullback for the past two years — from the matchday 23 completely.

Steward is reliable under the high ball but that might not be important against Fiji, whose attacking game relies on its power runners and offloading more than up-and-unders and an aerial threat. Smith has more flair as a broken-field runner and, in that sense, is in the Fijian mold.

Farrell reverted to flyhalf, which meant George Ford dropped to the bench. It's tough on Ford, who was England's best player in its big pool-stage wins over Argentina and Japan and is the form player at No. 10.

Manu Tuilagi and Joe Marchant are reunited in the centers and, with Farrell at flyhalf, England has a physical presence in midfield in a bid to handle Fiji's heavy artillery.

“We know Fiji pose a lot of challenges,” Borthwick said, "but I think this is the right combination.”

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Lineups:

England: Marcus Smith, Jonny May, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Elliot Daly, Owen Farrell (captain), Alex Mitchell; Ben Earl, Tom Curry, Courtney Lawes, Ollie Chessum, Maro Itoje, Dan Cole, Jamie George, Ellis Genge. Reserves: Theo Dan, Joe Marler, Kyle Sinckler, George Martin, Billy Vunipola, Danny Care, George Ford, Ollie Lawrence.

Fiji: Ilaisa Droasese, Vinaya Habosi, Waisea Nayacalevu (captain), Josua Tuisova, Semi Radradra, Vilimoni Botitu, Frank Lomani; Viliame Mata, Levani Botia, Lekima Tagitagivalu, Albert Tuisue, Isoa Nasilasila, Luke Tagi, Tevita Ikanivere, Eroni Mawi. Reserves: Sam Matavesi, Peni Ravai, Mesake Doge, Meli Derenalagi, Vilive Miramira, Simione Kuruvoli, Iosefo Masi, Sireli Maqala.

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AP Rugby World Cup: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby