Wales are within touching distance of a place in the World Cup quarter-finals, but they have been confronted with the possibility that their last pool match may be a step in the dark. Fiji have threatened to play all those from their squad who have not got a game so far.
The Fiji captain, Deacon Manu, who knows a bit about the Welsh and their rugby after five years in Llanelli with the Scarlets, said that the Fijian campaign had been a disappointment, but that they hoped to pull off a surprise at the death fielding a largely untried team. "They will bring a lot of energy, enthusiasm and determination. We just want to have fun," Manu said.
Fijians having "fun" has cost one Wales coach his job: Gareth Jenkins was given 24 hours to pack his bags after his team lost to Fiji at the World Cup in France four years ago and on Thursday one of the current crop of Wales coaches, Robert Howley, said of the threat: "It sends danger signs, doesn't it? The games that Fiji have played so far have been really smart and intelligent."
Wales have played Fiji 10 times, losing just that once, but their most recent confrontation, in Cardiff two years ago, ended in a draw and with the then Wales captain, Ryan Jones, losing his job, so Howley knows the threat is there. "Everyone can turn up on international games and put a performance in. And that's what Fiji did back in the autumn series," he said.
"It keeps your feet on the ground having had that experience back in the autumn series. It's not a bad thing, in terms of the Welsh psyche. Sometimes we get ahead of ourselves and we think we're better than we are. But we realise how good this Fiji side are."
If Wales think they are going to get any local support they might be in for a surprise. Their coach, Warren Gatland, comes from Hamilton and was a record-breaking hooker with Waikato, but Manu was also born down the road, in New Plymouth, and like Gatland began his career with the Chiefs. He spent five years at the stadium where Fiji and Wales go head-to-head on Sunday and, although he has played for New Zealand Maori, he qualifies for Fiji through his mother.
"In the end, you are still representing Fiji," Manu said. "You get to represent your family, yourself and your country. There is no issue with motivation."
Fiji arrived in Hamilton following defeats by South Africa and Samoa, scoring 10 points in the two games and conceding 76. They are going home and Manu said: "It has been disappointing. We've played well in phases. You see that with a lot of smaller teams when they play the big teams. They stick with them for the first 60 minutes, but fade out in the last 20 minutes.
"We set high standards for ourselves, especially after the last World Cup, so we wanted to emulate that. But we haven't been able to do it.
"We love playing Wales. The second-last time we beat them, and last time we drew with them at their home ground. We are well aware of that. They won't take us lightly now."
