Transcript
Fiji were the last Pacific Island nation to reach the knockout rounds of a Rugby World Cup back in 2007.
The current crop of Flying Fijians showed their potential by beating France in Paris last year and first five Ben Volavola says they want to create some history of their own.
"There's high expectations within our nation and within the people of our nation. All we can control is our expectations within the camp and make sure that we achieve the things we've set out to achieve and hopefully we go into a World Cup achieving and exiting the World Cup achieving what we wanted to achieve."
Fiji round out their World Cup preparations against Tonga on Saturday as part of the Pasifika Challenge, with Manu Samoa meeting the New Zealand Heartland XV in the early game.
The Flying Fijians announced their World Cup squad two weeks ago but Tonga coach Toutai Kefu says they still have decisions to make.
"We have a squad of 33 at the moment so we need to drop two players out of the squad, one forward and one back but in terms of this game we want to win. We have our best team on the park so we want to win. That's our goal."
DUR: 14 secs.
'Ikale Tahi captain Siale Piutau expects Auckland's Tongan community to show up in numbers and get behind their team.
"Our people are so passionate and I think that comes out when they support us, whether its rugby or rugby league. I think our people show their passion, whether it's through dance, whether it's through sound, music. We are just so grateful to be able take this opportunity for them to come by and support us. It was no different in Tonga, we hope it will be no different here in Auckland. "
Manu Samoa will announce their World Cup squad immediately after Saturday's match. Coach Steve Jackson says he's already informed the 31 players who will be on the plane to Japan, as well as those who have missed out.
"It's one of those hard ones where you'd like to take everybody but you can't, you can't fit everybody into a squad. I suppose the good thing is they're all in the condition now and they've all had a taste of international rugby so that if we do get injuries we can call upon these players. There's one of them that's going to be playing on the weekend playing his debut, just because we've got a couple of guys who are injured and won't be able to take the field this week, and he will get to take his opportunity and we will get to see where he's at as well."
Steve Jackson says some players made themselves unavailable for World Cup selection in order to stay with their club teams in Europe.
Pacific Rugby Players CEO Aayden Clarke says for a lot of players the choice between club, country and family is a tough one.
"In a perfect world there will be no barriers at all in terms of them playing for their nations and also playing for their clubs but that's not quite the case at the moment. Given the economic realities and the current structures in place players are having to make tough decisions and it's about ensuring that the finances for their family and their future and the next contract are being considered."
World Rugby High Performance General Manager Peter Horne said they have invested 20 million pounds into the Pacific Islands over the past four years, a 30 percent increase on the previous World Cup cycle.
He says the governing body want to see the best players on the pitch for Pacific countries but ultimately it's up to individual players to choose what is best for them.
