The Big Guns have arrived in Fiji.

The Junior All Blacks have arrived into the Islands of Fiji and started the grueling task of beating teams that want a piece of them. With NZ teams having won the title the last 3 seasons, there will be even more heat as teams want to topple them and claim the ANZ Pacific Nations Cup this time around.

Any team from New Zealand automatically comes with a price on their head, there is nothing like beating the best and everyone wants a piece of them on the footy field. In the past season a lot of the Mana (respect) for the New Zealand teams has gone out the window, the All Blacks were smoked in the RWC in France, and more recently the French did it again in the weekend on NZ soil.

However you do not need to be a rocket scientist to appreciate that there is talent to burn in the NZ stocks, like a car manufacturing line, this country pumps out gifts that instinctually play style rugby. This depth at the moment is being tested with numerous injuries, but still the new arrivals are class acts, like Stephen Brett from the Crushaders-Crusaders.

They have just arrived in from a nail biting match where they just snuck past Samoa, the team is showing signs of bruises and raw wounds from the hard grounds, but there is nothing but smiles as they went about the training today in Nadi.

On the field the chiseled and tattooed bodies ran like a slick military drill, Coach Ian Foster lays down the law and they all respond in a fashion & tempo that any coach would adore. Every movement is eager, every order is followed and when there is the odd muck up, they are down on the ground doing press ups to pay for it.

This team will be tested by Fiji on Thursday, they will bank on the tight area being where they have to make a statement and deplete Fiji’s strike power. Out wide they have ex and maybe soon to be re-born All Blacks like Hosea Gear and Anthony Tuitavake. The whole lot of them look like they are confident and together, come kickoff on Thursday we will have a right old battle on our hands.