World Cup Preview: Australia vs Fiji

Japan did the teams outside the world’s top rugby nations no favours with their magnificent, miraculous victory over the Springboks, since every team expected to do well in the World Cup will now take absolutely nothing for granted. There will be no danger of complacency or over-confidence for any of the supposedly stronger teams.

Fiji showed against England that they are not to be treated as minnows, and opponents will underrate them at their peril. Their forwards are ferocious, their backs can rip defences apart if allowed ball in space, and no team with the potent, quick, skilful Nemani Nadolo in their ranks is there merely to make up numbers.

Australia are in the toughest pool and with England and Wales in their third and fourth games, they need to get their game up to speed quickly. They showed in the Rugby Championship they have the skills and acumen to be among the favourites for this World Cup. Fiji will provide a sound test for their physicality and their first outing will give them a valuable opportunity to hone their attacking game-plan and their defence.

After watching the Springbok debacle, the Wallabies will no doubt have their minds right for an opening game quality performance.

Key players:
For the Wallabies, their starting scrumhalf and flyhalf, Will Genia and Bernard Foley, wanting to prove they deserve the 9 and 10 jerseys in the team’s positions of the least certainty and most intense competition. And as in every game they play, Michael Hooper (openside) and David Pocock (starting at 8), with the huge influence they have on every game they play as individuals, and because in tandem they form an extraordinary duo. For Fiji, Nadolo, the celebrated 125kg attacking force on the left wing, plus flank and captain Akapusi Qera, and clever, skilful flyhalf Ben Volavola, not rated by Michael Cheika at the Waratahs but contracted by the Crusaders for Super Rugby 2016.

The key match-ups:
Nadolo vs Adam Ashley-Cooper out wide, Volavola vs Foley at 10, Gabiriele Lovobalavu up against the maestro Matt Giteau at inside centre, and the battle between Campese Maafu and Sekope Kepu as scrummagers.