16 Nov 2013

Sport: Fiji Bati hoping for another shot at Kangaroos

8:44 am on 16 November 2013

Fiji are eyeing a repeat showdown with Rugby League World Cup favourites Australia if they can navigate their way past Pacific rivals Samoa on Monday.

One Pacific team is assured a berth in next week's semi finals after the Toa and Bati were drawn to face each other in the last eight.

Fiji made the semi finals at the last World Cup in 2008 where they were knocked out by the Kangaroos, who also proved too strong for them this year in the pool phase.

Fiji Bati assistant coach Joe Rabele says they would love the chance to have another crack at them.

"For us we try to learn from every game and try to compete, just as we did in 2008. We gave our best in 2008 against Australia but in 2008 there's more local boys than NRL players, but this year's there's a lot of NRL players and only two local boys and some overseas based. That's the difference between the team in 2008 and the team in 2013 so hopefully we will compete against Samoa. If we go through then we try to give a good game to Australia."

The first quarter final is this morning between New Zealand and Scotland with England and Australia in action tomorrow against France and the USA.