Fiji's Mesulame Kunavula goes in for a late tackle on Damian McKenzie during an All Blacks vs Fiji game in Hamilton in 2021. Photo: Jeremy Ward/Photosport
Here is all you need to know about the match, where it's going down and how you can follow the action.
All Blacks v Fiji: Live blog coverage on RNZ Sport
Kick-off: 2:30pm, Saturday 20 July NZT (Friday 7:30pm local)
At Snapdragon Stadium, San Diego
San Diego seems like an odd choice of venue?
It does, given that this is actually an All Blacks home fixture, so normally this would be played somewhere like Hamilton or Napier. However, NZ Rugby chief executive Mark Robinson has been upfront about the commercial opportunities that taking games to the United States brings and besides, this isn't the first time this has happened.
The All Blacks played two horribly mismatched tests against the USA in Chicago and Washington DC, but it is their 2016 game against Ireland in the Windy City that is the most famous. The Irish picked up their first ever win over the All Blacks, a 40-29 result, in front of 60,000 at Soldier Field Stadium.
This week's game is not the first time the All Blacks have played in San Diego, though. Way back in 1980 they beat the USA 53-6 at Chargers Stadium, which has since been demolished and replaced with the new, 35,000 seat Snapdragon Stadium. Fred Woodman, Portia Woodman-Wickliffe's uncle, scored a hat trick in that win over the Americans.
All Blacks captain David Kirk in action during the Rugby World Cup match against Fiji at Lancaster Park, Christchurch, in 1987. Photo: ©PHOTOSPORT. www.photosport.co.nz
Saturday afternoon footy!
How good … unless you're involved in senior club rugby finals around the country. But that's OK because you can keep an eye on the action with Jamie Wall's live blog, here on RNZ Sport.
How have Fiji gone lately?
Pretty good, if last year's Rugby World Cup is anything to go by. The Fijians made the quarter finals and only just lost to England, who they had actually beaten at Twickenham before the tournament began. They did suffer a shock loss to Portugal in the pool stages, however that result may well have said more about the Portuguese and their rapid improvement in test rugby lately.
This year, they have started their season with a good 21-12 away win over Georgia in Batumi and the Fijian Drua made the Super Rugby Pacific playoffs.
Temo Mayanavanua and Scott Barrett swap jerseys after the All Blacks vs Fiji match in Hamilton, in 2021. Photo: Jeremy Ward/Photosport
What about the All Blacks in their first two tests?
They won both, which is the main thing.
England turned out to be a very well drilled and effective side, who are clearly on an upward trend in terms of playing both positive rugby and to their traditional strength of forward play and kicking. Scott Robertson's team were able to nullify both - just - due to a noticeable shift in tactics in the first test and the impact of Beauden Barrett in the second.
However, not much from those games can really be taken into this test against Fiji. The starting side is going to be completely overhauled with four potential debutantes getting a run, Patrick Tuipulotu has been left at home to recover, and the focus on field will be very much 'get the win and get out'.
What else are the All Blacks doing this week?
Selling. The whole point of this event is to grow their brand in a new territory, this time the West Coast of the United States.
There will be plenty of media spots and visits to sponsors, presumably to have repetitive conversations about what rugby actually is and why they don't wear pads and helmets. As well as selling the All Blacks brand, the long term goal here is to build interest in the 2031 Rugby World Cup, which is being held in the USA.
Rieko Ioane scores a try against Fiji in Hamilton, in 2021. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
What's going to happen?
Fiji certainly have the ability to cause the All Blacks some problems, their previous results indicate they are a much more balanced side than the ones that have come to New Zealand in the past. The average winning margin for the All Blacks in those tests was a staggering 58 points, but it's a fair call that this one will be slightly closer.
For the All Blacks, they will just want to get in, do their commercial work and get out with a win, because the next challenge is a Rugby Championship competition they haven't lost in five seasons.
