The beautiful archipelago that makes up Fiji, consists of over 300 islands and is famed for the talent of their rugby players! Picked in Pool C, alongside Wales, Australia, Georgia & Portugal – Fiji face some tough pool matches, but never underestimate the Fijian side.  Their recent performance in the Summer series, with their historic – and very well deserved – win against England has shown that. These passionate Pacific islanders have proved they can beat some of the best sides when given space and no other team can be complacent when faced with this vibrant exciting team. October 10th is Fiji National Day, just after the last pool match (on 8th October vs Portugal) so the team will be hoping for a place to celebrate beyond that!

Captain: Waisea Mayacalevu

Player to Watch: The winger Selestino Ravutaumada

For more information on Fiji Rugby: www.fijirugby.com

For full details of the Rugby World Cup 2015 follow: www.rugbyworldcup.com/

Food:  Thanks to the clear waters that surround Fiji, their cuisine features lots of fish and seafood. Octopus and sea urchin to name but a few. They match these with sweet potatoes, cassava and are large producers of Taro (potato like root with purple-ish colour).  Fiji experienced a large Indian migration, which means that today its cuisine differs to its neighbouring countries in the presence of curries and spice in Fijian-Indo cuisine.  If you want to impress on match day, rather than a standard BBQ in the garden, build yourself a Lovo. Literally meaning “feast cooked in the earth”, dig a hole in the earth (ask Chief gardener of the household’s permission first!), line with coconut husks, light and cover with stone.  Then lay meat or fish that wrapped in banana leaves on top. Two to three hours later you should have smoky tender food to enjoy with a pre match beer!

Drink:

Beer:  The most sold beer by far in Fiji is Fiji bitter followed by Fiji Gold. There is a great wholesale company  www.fijistore.co.uk who list various independent shops around the UK that they supply with Fijian food & drink. They also list some unusual Burger flavoured UFO crisps – but I am not sure how traditional they are! Also look out for Vonu lager from Fiji, and each bottle you buy helps protect a species of local Turtle!

Wine: Right this is where things become a little tenuous! As Fiji, nor Tonga or Samoa are suitable for wine making (well from local proper vines anyway!), this section proves a bit of a challenge.  So I have taken the letters of each country to find a wine somewhere in the world that has a (sort of!) link to the Pacific islands – even if it’s only that it comes from New Zealand, which has such strong links with them –  and at the same time, hope you discover some more unusual wines.

F is for Frappato.  A lovely crisp, red grape variety from Sicily (which is as Fiji, of volcanic soil in places), and made by one of the Islands leading wine producers, the Planeta family. This example from the Vittorio region has lovely raspberry notes balanced with good acidity. Available from https://greatwine.co.uk

I is for Inzolia – staying with Sicily, this clean vibrant white made by Tasca D’Almerita at their Tenuta Sallier de la Tour estate. Expect citrus notes with some herbal touches. Available https://www.tannico.co.uk/

J is for Juice – (I know not a wine either but started reading about this and became intrigued) more specifically Noni Juice, from the greenish white Noni fruit that grows on Fiji and its medicinal benefits sound incredible! 

I is for Itata – as in the Itata Valley, a wine region in the south of Chile, so pick up a bottle of Undurraga Candelabro Itata Cinsault. A red variety originating in the Rhone Valley, this comes from bush vines of over 60 years old. Great value – from www.thewinesociety.com

www.fijistore.co.uk

www.greatwine.co.uk

www.tannico.co.uk

www.thewinesociety.com