All Blacks Captain Dixon commends Fijian off-loads

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Fiji Airways Flying Fijians Waisea Nayacalevu eyes the tryline against Maori All Blacks at the ANZ Stadium in Suva yesterday. Picture: JONA KONATACI

NEW Zealand Maori All Blacks captain Ash Dixon says it was the Flying Fijians off-load game that made the difference in their 27-10 loss.

And he says this is an area where they will prepare to counter when the two teams meet again next weekend in Rotorua, New Zealand, in their second Test of the Pacific Test Series.

“Once they got their off-load game going it was pretty hard to contain,” Dixon said.

“They are very good with ball in hand.”

Fiji’s Olympics gold medallists Leone Nakarawa, Viliame Mata, Josua Tuisova and Semi Kunatani brought the crowd at the ANZ Stadium to life displaying the full potential of the Fijian off-loading game.

“We were able to get our bodies in front but they were able to get their hands free and maybe it could have been a different story if it didn’t stick,” he said.

Dixon said it was never easy playing Fiji in front of a home crowd, especially when they played the way they did.

“We could not apply the pressure we needed to and hats off to Fiji who were the better team on the day.”

Dixon said they had now focused their attention towards next weekend’s match on their home soil.

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