De Villiers warns Scotland of Fiji's danger ahead of rescheduled clash

Scotland’s scrum coach Pieter de Villiers has cautioned that Fiji will pose a far greater challenge in this weekend’s clash in Suva compared to their previous meeting in November.

De Villiers, a former French international prop, emphasized the need for Scotland to meet the Fijians head-on in the physical contests and breakdown battles.

De Villiers acknowledged the depth and availability of Fiji's current squad, stating that more key players are now in contention. He explained that their improved resources have made them more formidable, especially at the set-piece and in contact situations.

“I think Fiji are a good side currently and they probably have a stronger squad than when we played last time, just because they’ve got more players available to them,” said De Villiers.

With Fiji coming off a narrow 21-18 loss to Australia, the physical standard they bring to the field is evident and not to be underestimated.

Looking ahead to the match, De Villiers stressed that Scotland must be prepared for a brutal confrontation in the forwards.

“We expect a strong challenge from them, and it will be important to match the physicality that they’re currently bringing to the opposition,” he said.

De Villiers also provided updates on squad fitness, confirming that Gregor Brown is going through return-to-play protocols after a head knock and Ben Muncaster is recovering from a dead leg. These injuries could force further changes to the team lineup, with several fringe players making strong cases in the recent game against the Maori All Blacks.

“The guys who got their opportunity on Saturday really did a good job,” he added, suggesting that there will be a few more chances handed out this weekend.