[?]ig Tongans

How to beat those great [?]ig Tongans

From F. /. RYAN, in Suva As Rugby has made steady rogress in Tonga, Fiji represen itive teams, whether they have

een playing the Tongans in Fiji

r on their home ground, have

Dund the Tongans to be tough

pponents. Particularly so when ley have relied mainly on their

raditional tough, tight, forward

lay.

17HEN the Fiji team to go to IT Tonga in July is selected, par cular attention will have to be paid ) picking a pack of forwards who ill be able to play it hard and tight r hen called on.

Heavily built, the Tongans are aturally tight forwards, but the iclination of Fijian forwards is to 3am, and they sometimes like getting way from the pack too quickly.

The Tongans are also adept at iterposing their not inconsiderable ulk between the opposing forwards nd their backs, and there is nothing mch about spoiling play which they ave not absorbed.

The Fijians’ line-out play will also all for concentrated coaching. The mdency throughout Fiji is to throw ie ball in at any old place in the ne-out, irrespective of whether it > their ball or not. In defence it hould be close in, and on attack dder out.

And Fiji’s line-out experts should take their position in the line-out exactly where the ball should go, eliminating the “lolly scrambles” so often seen today.

Another bad tendency for Fijian forwards is to jump high, which in itself is good, but they do it only to tap the ball back vaguely in the general direction of their backs, often out of reach.

Enterprising forwards watch for these loose balls and break through quickly, either to maul the half, or get among the inside backs robbed of a quick get-away.

So often in Fijian club football, forwards get possession in the line out, only to give it away.

The Fijian backs will probably rely on playing Vaka Viti (Fijian style) as they did in the last hectic 10 minutes in the match against that strong Wales side. But there must be certain orthodox safeguards when on defence.

Playing Vaka Viti, the Fijians use the full-back as a second half-back in opening up play. When the oppor tunity offers he races up into play with the ball.

Not only does he make an over lap in the back line, but he can eliminate opposing backs by switch ing the attack to one side or the other, with the forwards racing up the centre to take their share of the ball when it comes back in-field.

To opponents this tactic can be most disconcerting, keeping them in a state of uncertainty, and helping to tire their forwards.

But one thing is certain.

Playing under the eye of their newly-crowned King Taufa’ahau, their patriotic fervour raised to a high pitch, the Tongans will be tough.

Tongans and Fijians mix it on the Rugby field—Fijians in the striped sox.