Western Force scrum-half Issak Fines-Leleiwasa may be tempted to get swept up in his return to his father’s homeland in Fiji this week but instead says “we’re not here for a holiday”.
The Force will take on the Fijian Drua at Churchill Park in Lautoka from 9:05am WST Saturday, with the game live on Stan Sport.
Ahead of Saturday’s game, the squad flew into Fiji on Wednesday, marking Fines-Leleiwasa’s third time in the country of birth of his father Sinu.
Fines-Leleiwasa is planning a “bucket list trip” to visit Sinu’s village Kaba in two years’ time with his brothers for his father’s 60th birthday.
But this trip is all business, as the Force look to improve their 1-4 record, having broken their duck with an impressive 40-31 win over the Queensland Reds last weekend in Perth.
“We’re not coming over here for a holiday,” Fines-Leleiwasa said.
“We’re in Fiji, we’re here to get a job done. We’ve got each other’s backs over here.”
The Drua have made their home ground a fortress over the past two seasons, starting this campaign a 2-0 record at Churchill Park with wins over the NSW Waratahs (by golden point) and reigning champions, the Crusaders.
The Force will face raucous home support for the Drua, but also foreign conditions with humid weather alongside persistent rain. Fines-Leleiwasa said they’d embrace that.
“It’s exciting. We know the fans and atmosphere they’re going to bring,” he said.
“We’re ready to embrace it, we’re really excited about it. You’ve got to embrace it. You’ve got to love it.
“They’re going to be cheering for the Fijians so we’ve got to stay together and soak it all in ourselves.”
It’s not the first time in recent memory that Fines-Leleiwasa has come up against a Fijian side, making his World Cup debut last year against the national team.
“It was my World Cup debut against the Fijians which was a surreal moment for me and obviously my family,” he said.
“My dad is obviously Fijian but I was playing the Wallabies. It was a tough one for him, but he was very proud. I was stoked to be out there.”
Fines-Leleiwasa has loved being back in the Pacific Island nation where rugby is number one.
“I’m very proud of my Fijian heritage,” he said. “It’s something I’m very grateful for.
“(I’m excited to see) Family and friends that I’ve met and some that I’ve not yet met. It’s a special occasion. It’s something I’m looking forward to.
“They love their rugby. Coming back here and seeing how much they love their rugby, I’m very much excited to get out there and have a go.
“They’re great rugby players. They’re athletes. You want to test yourselves against some of the best in the world, it’s great to be here.”
Saturday’s game kicks off at 9:05am WST and is part of a double-header with the Buildcorp Super Rugby Women’s game between the Force and Drua commencing from 11:35am WST.
The game will be live on Stan Sport, while there will be regular updates @WesternForce on social media.
