Ties of friendship and family will count for nothing when the close-knit Pacific Islands of Samoa and Fiji battle to keep their Rugby World Cup quarterfinal hopes alive at Eden Park on Sunday.

Hooker Ole Avei has made many friends in world rugby, having played in New Zealand, Australia and now for a French Top 14 side but those bonds are forgotten whenever he runs on to the pitch for Samoa.

Avei counts Fiji’s Sunia Koto and Dominiko Waqaniburotu as friends and has been in touch with them during RWC 2011, but the 28-year-old has no plans to wish his mates luck ahead of their Pool D clash.
 
While Avei plans to avoid contact with Koto before the match, that will change come Sunday when he meets his fellow hooker on the pitch.

But for Samoa’s Sailosi Tagicakibau, it is more than just friendship that will be given a back seat this week.

The London Irish wing could be lining up against his brother, Michael.

And with both Fiji and Samoa needing the points if they are to progress to the quarterfinals, there will be no sentimentality.

Tagicakibau said that on the field, his 15 men will be his brothers then later he and Michael can be brothers again.

Fiji will play Samoa on Sunday at 2.30pm and you can catch the live commentary on our sister station, Viti FM with the voice of rugby, Malakai Veisamasama and expert comments from former Wallaby and former Fiji player and 2007 RWC coach, Ilivasi Tabua.

At 8pm tonight South Africa will take on Namibia.


Story by: Dreu Vukailagi