Fiji are tempering expectations before a rare test outing against the All Blacks this weekend.
On Saturday, the two sides will square off in Dunedin - coincidentally the same venue the last time they met back in 2011.
Coach Vern Cotter says it'd be nice to have more opportunities to face tier one sides like the All Blacks, but their limited preparation and absence of any warm-up matches mean rust is inevitable.
"We would've liked to have had a bit of a hit out beforehand, but that's the circumstances," says Potter.
"It hasn't been our usual preparation, but in saying that, the guys are working so hard and are really good at adapting. They know we may have to play a couple of players out of position.
"They enjoy being together and the game will only be good for us."
But at the moment, a couple of games of rugby may seem a trivial aside for Fiji, as the Pacific Island nation struggles against a huge COVID-19 surge, with 639 new cases recorded since Tuesday.
Cotter hopes the two-test series will provide some joy during such tough times for the rugby-mad country.
"I imagine they're looking forward to it," says Cotter. "A bit of a break from what they're having to go through at the moment.
"They've got the [Olympic] sevens programme and these two games against the All Blacks to look forward to.
"It'll be these games we play with a little bit of feeling and everybody recognises the problems over there. I know they have family and friends involved, so they'll have meaning."
That said, Cotter is conscious of his players not carrying such a heavy burden that it inhibits their trademark flair against their highly favoured opponents.
"Going to the game and carrying the weight of expectation on their shoulders can only weight us down," he says.
"We want to be able to play a Fijian style of game. I think the players will be uniquely focused on the match, they will be motivated, and then all the worries about family and bits and pieces we'll pick up afterwards."
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