Little fails to recover for All Black Test

FRANCE-based Seremaia Bai will play at fly-half in place of the injured Nicky Little in the Fiji team to meet New Zealand in a one-off rugby Test in Dunedin on Friday.

Bai wore the No10 jersey when Fiji lost 24-13 to Japan in the final match of the Pacific Nations Cup last week in the absence of Little, who is suffering from bruised ribs.

Fiji will also be without backrower Sisa Koyamaibole, who was suspended for two weeks, and reserve fly-half Waisea Luveniyali, who was suspended for four weeks after being sent off in the match against Japan.

Vice-captain Gabriel Lovobalavu, Kini Murimurivalu and Talemaitoga Tuapati were unavailable because of injury.

Lock Leone Nakarawa who is ineligible to enter New Zealand because he is a private in the Fiji army, was not included in the 24-man squad for the match at Carisbrook. New Zealand has imposed travel sanctions against Fiji, refusing visas to members of the military and their families, since Commodore Frank Bainimarama seized power in a 2006 coup.

Nakarawa was named in Fiji's World Cup training squad of 35 but was not named in the 24 to travel to New Zealand later this week. Fiji will train in Suva on Tuesday and has banned media from its first training session.

Flanker Dominiko Waqaniburotu will captain Fiji in Friday's match. Fiji lost 91-0 when they last met the All Blacks in 2005.