1 May 2015

Sport: Unfinished business for Fiji Bati coach

12:22 pm on 1 May 2015

Fiji head coach Rick Stone still has some goals to tick off before handing over the reins of the Bati team.

Stone was promoted to head coach of the Newcastle Knights NRL team this year, forcing him into a major juggling act alongside his international commitments.

He led the Bati to the World Cup semi finals in 2013 and is a big supporter of the push to establish a Fijian side in the New South Wales Cup.

Ahead of Saturday's Pacific Test against Papua New Guinea, Stone says he still has things to achieve with Fiji.

"It's been important for me in the last couple of years to try and build the profile of rugby league in Fiji. Since the World Cup I think we've gradually continued to do that. I may be getting out in the next six months or so but at the moment I'm trying to help Fiji re-establish themselves, since the World Cup, and this is a good chance for me to probably get some more young players together that took part in the World Cup and a few boys on the fringes to play a PNG side obviously who get some consistent competition nowadays obviously in the Queensland Cup".

The winner of the two Pacific tests will play-off later this year for a berth in the Four Nations.

Fiji Bati Rugby League Head coach, Rick Stone

Fiji Bati Rugby League Head coach, Rick Stone Photo: PHOTOSPORT

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