KEY POINTS:
Shannon Fraser has one of those jobs in world rugby which can exhilarate and frustrate in equal measure.
As backs coach with Fiji, on the eve of their World Cup quarter-final against South Africa, he admitted there are times tearing the hair out seems a fair reaction to
some of the harem scarem aspects of Fijian rugby.
"There are times where I would prefer to play a little more conservative test match fooball, but you can't suffocate the player," Sydneysider Fraser said.
"From my perspective I see rugby as a science and an art. The forwards play the scientific game, and the backs are the artists and you want to let those guys play. You certainly don't ever put restraints on them."
Backs like Seru Rabeni, Seremaia Bai, Vilimoni Delasau and Mosese Rauluni have caught the eye during the cup, along with impressive flanker Akapusi Qera.
After beating Wales in the cup's most nerve-jangling finish to reach the last eight, Fiji's reward is a clash with the Boks in Marseille on Monday.
While Fraser, who has been with the Waratahs Super 14 franchise for the last two years, and linked with Fiji at the start of this year, would like a spot of structure in their rugby, he knows if the coaching staff are not careful the risk is going too far the other way. Balance is the key.
Fiji has long been capable of attaining rare heights, big, powerful, fast, athletic men who have been dominant in Sevens rugby but found the traditional form of the game a struggle.
Perhaps it's the feeling of being shackled to a style, and the inhibiting feeling that can bring.
Fraser acknowledged the conundrum, along with the fact they are unlikely to have anything like 50 per cent possession to work with against the Springboks.
There's nothing new in that; in none of their four pool games against Japan, Canada, Australia and Fiji have they had close to 50 per cent territory or possession.
"We look at our instinctive play, we look to maximise use of possession from unstructured sources. One thing I've learnt is Fijians play on confidence, and they've come out of the Welsh game highly confident."
And the one key aspect Fiji must get right if they are to even come close to upsetting the Springboks?
"Have the ability to take pressure off ourselves. That's one thing in the campaign we've struggled to do."
The players maintain they can put the squeeze on South Africa. They saw what Tonga did in their 30-25 loss to the Springboks. They have the belief.
"They're very proud people, playing for their island, themselves, their families and their faith. They are hungry," Fraser said.
