With God on their side, Fiji eye World Cup semis

Fiji coach Joe Dakuitoga warns his team can cause more upsets in the rugby league World Cup after causing the biggest boilover of the tournament on Saturday night.

Little rated before the tournament, the Fijians announced themselves as potential semi-finalists with a 42-6 trouncing of France at Wollongong’s WIN Stadium, scoring seven tries to one in a breathtaking performance.

“Were here to compete. We’re not just here to make up the numbers,” Dakuitoga said.

The win virtually guarantees the Fijians a place in the next phase of the tournament, a play-off for a semi-final berth against either Samoa or Ireland on Monday week.

Fiji dazzled with a super-slick backline featuring some of the best movers in the NRL and they will prove a handful for opposition sides with their athleticism.

Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne was back to his best with a try double, Newcastle’s Akuila Uate was outstanding, scoring three tries, and captain Wes Naiqama was solid.

While they have a thrilling backline, Fiji are relying on an no-frills forward pack with players from little-known country teams like the Parkes Spacemen, Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs and Terrigal Sharks.

Most of the side is deeply religious and fullback Hayne said their regular group prayers and church visits had helped forge tremendous team spirit and unity.

“We’re all on the same level. We all just play off each other,” Hayne said.

“It’s just unbelievable the spirit and how courageous we were - and how much we speak about God and God helping us.

“We’ve got people from Parkes, we’ve got people from Ulladulla, we’ve got people from Terrigal Sharks - who came last in their competition - but you put them together and you believe in God, and you get that spirit in the team and on the day, like today, we’re going to be hard to beat.”

Saturday’s 36-point thrashing means France are out of the running for a finals berth and coach John Monie said the country needed another team in the English Super League if they were to remain competitive at international level.

The majority of the French side are made up of players from Super League’s Catalans Dragons. Toulouse will play in the second-tier National League One next season.

“(But) what we need to do to make the French rugby league a little bit stronger, we can’t just rely on Catalans, we’ve got to hopefully push to get a second team in Super League and make our talent pool a little bit bigger,” Monie said.

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