7 Mar 2016

Sport: Winston a challenge for Fiji Warriors

12:25 pm on 7 March 2016

The Fiji Warriors say preparation for the World Rugby Pacific Challenge has been difficult in the wake of Cyclone Winston.

The tournament kicks off in Suva tomorrow with national 'A' teams from Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Japan going head to head over two weeks.

Fiji Warriors have won the competition a record five times.

The captains pose with the World Rugby Pacific Challenge Trophy.

The captains pose with the World Rugby Pacific Challenge Trophy. Photo: Fiji Rugby

Head coach Senirusi Seruvakula says training has been somewhat limited following the cyclone.

He says the competition remains an important development opportunity.

"This is the pathway for the local players from the national competition and the Fiji Under 20s so everyone who wants to go through the pathway to the Flying Fijians has to go through the Fiji Warriors. All the locals: this is where they want to end up into getting big contracts overseas or getting to beFlying Fijians from the Fiji Warriors. The people who are in the Fiji Warriors are the cream or the best of what the local [game] can produce so it's very important to have this competition and it's very important to be involved in the Fiji Warriors."

Senirusi Seruvakula says fortunately the venue for the competition, ANZ Stadium, held up well in the cyclone.