Fiji Coach John McKee says upcoming Georgia clash is vital for Fijians’ continued development.

While Fiji’s defeat by Uruguay felt like an opportunity squandered, there is still plenty to play for in Pool D for John McKee’s men – even if the result means their chances of progressing beyond the pool stages have reduced considerably.

McKee said his players were in high spirits and had put their disappointing performance last Wednesday behind them. There is no room to wallow, he said, especially when automatic qualification for the 2023 Rugby World Cup could hang on their upcoming match against Georgia in Osaka, on Thursday.

“Progressing to the play-offs is the most important thing, but then there is also who finishes third in the pool, because qualification for the World Cup helps your whole World Cup cycle,” McKee said after Fiji’s first day of training since their arrival in Otsu.

“That is absolutely an important factor but we’re not focusing on anything outside the performance of our game because everything else is irrelevant if we don’t get the performance right.”

Though they are a naturally powerful side, one of Fiji’s trademarks is their ability to move the ball freely, an attribute that was not allowed to show in their 30-27 defeat by Uruguay in Kamaishi, where their opponents gave them a taste of their own medicine.

Nevertheless, McKee is preparing Fiji for the physicality on which Georgia have made a name for themselves and believes the battle at close quarters will be decisive on Thursday, as Georgia look to put behind them their 43-14 opening defeat by Wales.

“It is going to be a different sort of game and we can’t expect to go out there and be able to throw the ball around,” McKee said.

“You have to win the collisions and the contact zone first and, if we can do that, we will then earn the right to go wide.

“We are going to have to win the gain-line and defence, which is where the battleground is going to be for this game.”