Teti Tela.

As expected Teti Tela gets the nod to don the number 10 jumper for the Flying Fijians to play against Wales at the Rugby World Cup on Monday.

After Caleb Muntz was ruled out, Tela was always going to be Fiji’s premier 10.

Coach Simon Raiwalui has gone with nine players in the match-day 23 to play their club rugby with the Fijian Drua in Super Rugby, including the scrum-half and fly-half pairing of Frank Lomani and Tela, and second-row pairing of Isoa Nasilasila and Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta in the starting team.

The last time these two teams met at RWC 2019, only three players in the match-day team played their club rugby in Fiji.

There are seven players in the match-day 23 who play their club rugby in France, with skipper Nayacalevu, Luke Tagi for Provence, Lekima Tagitagivalu for Pau, Temo Mayanavanua for Lyon, Levani Botia for La Rochelle, Josua Tuisova for Racing 92 and Sireli Maqala for Bayonne.

Semi Radradra will join Lyon for the 2023/24 season.

Raiwalui has only nine players in his match-day 23 with Rugby World Cup experience with a further three on the bench, including Nayacalevu Peni Ravai and Botia will all make their third Rugby World Cup tournament appearances after 2015 and 2019.

Four players in this match-day 23 only made their test debut this year, with Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta, Selestino Ravutaumada, Lekima Tagitagivalu and Ilaisa Droasese.

Ravai is Fiji’s most experienced player in their RWC 2023 squad with 41 test caps and seven Rugby World Cup caps. He and Botia both played against Wales in 2015 and 2019.

Nayacalevu scored a double against Wales the last time they met in Cardiff in 2021. He is currently enjoying a three-game try-scoring streak, the longest of his career.

1 Eroni Mawi
2 Samuel Matavesi
3 Luke Tagi
4 Isoa Nasilasila
5 Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta
6 Albert Tuisue
7 Lekima Tagitagivalu
8 Viliame Mata
9 Frank Lomani
10 Teti Tela
11 Vinaya Habosi
12 Semi Radradra
13 Waisea Nayacalevu (c)
14 Selesitino Ravutaumada
15 Ilaisa Droasese

Replacements:

16 Tevita Ikanivere
17 Peni Ravai
18 Mesake Doge
19 Temo Mayanavanua
20 Levani Botia
21 Simione Kuruvoli
22 Josua Tuisova
23 Sireli Maqala

Click Here for more on RWC

Stream the best of Fiji on VITI+. Anytime. Anywhere.