Fiji Batis

Mead grabbed a try and ran for 139 metres as he led his country to their eighth win in their past 11 Test matches.

Fiji looked to have struck the first blow in the 10th minute when Taane Milne powered crashed over from close range but he was ruled to have lost the ball on the way to the ground.

Not to be denied the Bati kept the pressure on and co-captain Kevin Naiqama opened the scoring when he put in a grubber and cleaned up the scraps after Dan Russell had fumbled the ball. 

Coach Michael Marum said from Sydney this afternoon Lomai got the nod ahead of Edward Goma, who is the 18th man.

Goma replaced Townsville Blackhawks backrower Rhyse Martin who withdrew earlier this week due to personal reasons.

“Timothy Lomai will partner Rodney Griffin in the second row in an otherwise unchanged line up announced last week,” Marum said.

He said there were concerns with Adex Wera (calf) and Ase Boas (hamstring) but the injuries are improving as the days go by.

Nearly 50 of the players involved are already on NRL rosters. 

Saturday’s blockbuster schedule will see the Junior Kangaroos take on their Kiwi counterparts, before Fiji and Papua New Guinea lock horns. 

Samoa will clash with Tonga in the second test. 

“It’s definitely going to be physical, no player is going to be holding back, it’s just the history of the two nations," Samoa captain Frank Pritchard told SBS News. 

"Come Saturday I’m sure there will be a lot of fans running on the ground at the end of the game.”