Gareth Baber says it will be a dream come true, if a little strange, to coach the Flying Fijians against his homeland of Wales this weekend.
Fiji are in Cardiff to take on Wales. Photo: Fiji Rugby
The 49-year-old was born and raised in Cardiff and represented his home-town team during his playing days.
He also spent a season as joint head coach of the Cardiff Blues before taking charge of the Wales, Hong Kong and Fiji sevens teams, which culminated in an Olympic gold medal in Tokyo earlier this year.
Baber has coached against Wales on the World Sevens Series circuit but admitted facing his homeland in a test match in the city in which he grew up is a moment he will treasure.
"I've played against Wales in the sevens and I always found that particularly strange but now to be back in Wales and ultimately going to the Principality Stadium to play fifteens rugby against Wales you sort of have to stop and get a degree of perspective on how your life moves and how lucky you are and how priviliged I am to be coaching Fiji," he said.
"We've got a fantastic group of players here who are, in strange times, working wonders to represent their people and a staff of coaches and management who got together less than two weeks ago and have bonded very quickly into quite a strong group."
Gareth Baber playing for the Wales 7s team in 2002. Photo: AFP
After the best part of four-and-a-half years living in Fiji, Baber insisted there would be no divided loyalties when he enters the coaching box in Cardiff.
"It's pretty special to be back in Cardiff and to be with a Fijian team that I obviously have a strong connection with and the country that I have a strong connection with," he said.
"We are in Cardiff and we are playing Wales but ultimately my response is to getting a performance this weekend and creating history with this group of players.
"Obviously I'm representing Fiji but all of my thoughts are about beating the team that I grew up loving and still love, but that's the nature of sport and this team that I love here in Fiji is the one that I'm representing."
Gareth Baber watches on during Fiji training. Photo: Fiji Rugby
Baber's wife Danielle and their three children will also be present at the Principality Stadium to cheer on Fiji.
"Funnily enough I bought five tickets about two months ago so I was always going to go and watch the game," he revealed.
"We've still got the five tickets, although there's only four of them going now. Yes, they'll all be in the crowd. Obviously my association with the fifteens came relatively late so they will be there but there will be seat empty and I will be somewhere else in the stadium watching."
The Flying Fijians opened their November tour with a comfortable 43-13 victory over Spain last weekend, running in seven tries at the Estadio Nacional Complutense.
Hooker Sam Matavesi was a standout for the Flying Fijians against Spain. Photo: Fiji Rugby
Baber admitted the tourists were a bit rusty, however, and said they will need to lift their intensity against the Six Nations champions.
"We got a bit sticky to begin with - we haven't been together for long so it was good to get through some of that that - but we know we're going to have to be at another level," he said.
Wales are coming off consecutive home defeats by New Zealand and South Africa but Baber is not anticipating any favours.
"We did some good stuff against Spain but we didn't feel that we were clinical enough. We weren't intense enough in our physicality in the game and one thing I do know about Wales in the Principality Stadium is they will be physical and they will try and play a quick game," he said.
"Before we can get to the style of rugby that we do love to play we know that we have to do some hard work and we have to execute our plays with a degree of accuracy to allow us to do that."
The Flying Fijians come together in training. Photo: Fiji Rugby
Fiji winger Jiuta Wainiqolo won't be considered for this weekend's test after the leaving the field against Spain 10 minutes into his test debut with concussion.
The former sevens star is unable to resume training until he is symptom free and will then go through the concussion protocols, which includes a stand-down period.
Experienced halfback Frank Lomani is available for selection, after participating in his first training session on Monday, while Baber said hooker Zuriel Togiatama is a chance to make his test debut after joining the squad as an injury replacement for Peni Narisia.
