Iliesa Tora
RNZ Pacific senior sports journalist
Fiji Bati
head coach Mick Potter will move to Fiji in the next few
weeks to lead the team’s preparation for the upcoming Rugby
League World Cup (RLWC).
This has been confirmed by
Fiji National Rugby League (FNRL) chairman Rajesh
Singh.
Singh said the FNRL is grateful to local
authorities for granting Potter’s work visa, adding it is an
important step in the team’s preparation for the world
meet.
Fiji will face Australia, the Cook Islands and
New Zealand in the 2026 RLWC hosted by
Australia.
Singh said with the head coache’s visa
sorted, he can start the work needed to prepare the
team.
Singh was in Australia for the past two weeks
where he met with Potter and former Bati reps in Australia
to set up the support system ahead of the RLWC.
Potter
first coached Fiji in 2017, leading the Fijians to a famous
win over New Zealand.
But mixed results in the last
four years have seen the side struggle in the Pacific Bowl
competition, where it played Papua New Guinea and the Cook
Islands.
The Pacific Cup is the second division of the
Pacific Cup, where Samoa and Tonga compete against Australia
and New Zealand.
Singh and FNRL deputy chairman Etiko
Rokobuli have been in Sydney and Brisbane the last
fortnight, meeting with former Bati players like Naiqama
brothers, Wes and Kevin. A number of former Bati reps have
indicated that they would want to assist Potter.
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Singh
and Rokobuli also attended the launch of the new Australian
Rugby League partnership with Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Papua
New Guinea.
Both the Fiji Bati and the Fiji Bulikula
will be in action at the World Cup.
The Bulikula are
being coached by former double international Josaia Rabele
Dakuitoga.
Singh said the FNRL understands the
importance of having both teams prepared well for the world
event and what that will mean for the sport in the
country.
The Fiji Bati is scheduled to meet Cook
Islands in their opening Pool A game on 18 October in
Newcastle, while the Bulikula will face New Zealand on the
same
day.
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