Fiji Batis World Cup spots are up for grab : Coach

Fiji rugby league assistant coach Joe Rabele says World Cup spots are up for grabs in tonights Battle of the Bati clash in Suva.

The Fiji Residents team are taking on the Australian Fijians squad at ANZ Stadium in a match that will help the selectors decide on the final make-up for Fiji’s 24-man World Cup squad.

Joe Rabele says 15 NRL players have already committed themselves to playing for the Bati, including Akuila Uate and the Sims brothers, which leaves up to nine spots for the local players.

“We select the players based on positions that we needed to fill. We’ve got 15 players already selected from NRL players so the rest of the players we selected on Thursday just to fill up for the positions that’s left over. We’ve got a good side prepared for this coming World Cup because we want to take the next step - last World Cup we reached the semi final, this World Cup we’re targeting to reach the final.”

Meanwhile local players in Papua New Guinea also have a chance to impress this weekend in the Kumul Red v Gold trial match in Port Moresby.

PacNews