Rugby

Yato, Ravai and Mawi to join team three days before first Test

June 30, 2021 6:12 am

Peni Ravai, Peceli Yato and Eroni Mawi

Some players will join the Flying Fijians camp just three days before the first test against the All Blacks next weekend.

At the moment it’s unclear whether Frank Lomani, Teti Tela and Moses Sorovi will join the squad as they’re still stuck in Australia due to the latest COVID-19 situation in Queensland.

However, for those in New Zealand they’ll all come together and train as a team along with the coaching staff on Saturday.

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“Eroni Mawi left the UK late we couldn’t get an early release for him, Peni Ravai and Peceli Yato came out of France late so they’ll join us on Tuesday so the majority of the group except for those three will join us on Tuesday, we are still waiting for the three players from Australia, so effectively we will not have the whole squad together until Wednesday next week before the test which is not ideal”.

Cotter, however, says they’re dealing with professional players and he trust their abilities to adapt in the present situation.

He also says the players and management will have to work according to what they can control.

“We can’t change it so we are not worrying about it we just trying to maximize the time we have and be as positive as we can about it and the players are doing that as well and I admire them for it we know what the situation is and it can’t change so we are working within those boundaries to be as effective as possible”.

The Flying Fijians takes on the All Blacks in Dunedin next weekend followed by the second test in Hamilton a week later.