The Flying Fijians will play Wales for the fifth time at a Rugby World Cup when the two teams meet in France in 2023.

Fiji was this morning confirmed to take on Wales and Australia following the World Cup pool draws.

The national side has been pooled with Wales since 2007.

However, it will be the fourth World Cup when Fiji, Wales and Australia meet in pool play as they were in the same group in 2007, 2015 and 2019.

Flying Fijians coach Vern Cotter says they have a lot of work to do now.

“I think I speak on behalf of everyone involved in Fiji rugby, I think this is the focus point and we go into planning and try to get ourselves organized for the tournament, it’s similar to the 2019 pools”.

Former Flying Fijians mentor and current Wales Coach Wayne Pivac says it’s going to be another fight for survival in the pool stages.

Pivac who coached the national 7s side at the 2005 Rugby 7s World Cup adds Fiji will be a different team altogether with Cotter in charge.

“A similar pool but in another country, obviously Fiji have been in the Autumn Nations Cup and unfortunately couldn’t play all matches but certainly I’ve got an infinity there having coached Fiji preparing them for 2007”.

Another team from Europe will join Fiji in pool C which at the moment looks highly likely to be Georgia and plus an unconfirmed qualifier.

Only 12 teams have qualified for the tournament so far, with eight qualifiers to be finalized by November 2022.

The sides are divided into four pools of five, with the top two from each pool going through to the quarter-finals. New Zealand, France and Italy are in pool A with the winner from America 1 and Africa 1.

South Africa heads pool B with South Africa, Scotland, Ireland, Asia/Pacific qualifier and Europe 2 team.

England, Japan, Argentina will feature in pool D along with the Oceania winner and Americas 2 qualifier.

The 2023 RWC will be held in France.