The Air Pacific Fiji Barbarians take on Tau'uta Reds in Round 3 of the IRB Pacific Rugby Cup in Sigatoka on Saturday with both sides looking for their first win of the season.

The Barbars, still smarting from the relatively heavy defeat to Upolu Samoa last week in Lautoka, need to put in a much-improved performance if they are to stand any chance of a place in the final. They must win all their remaining games, and hope that the teams above them stumble.

They have never beaten the Reds, but with the Tongans also struggling this season Saturday’s game at Lawaqa Park ought to provide them with a good opportunity.

Coach Eddie Waqa remains optimistic.

“At this point of the competition, it’s a matter of reorganising the team and reassessing each individual,” Waqa said. “This Saturday we want to pick the best 22-man squad and nothing less.”

Waqa called for a fitness test and one-on-one sessions with the players on the afternoon the team returned to their training camp at the Kalevu Cultural Centre.

“We have to reassess the players and determine the best they can give us,” he said. “We also had a management meeting where I spent a good review session with each player just trying to reset their minds for the task ahead and instil in their minds that we need to start giving everything we have to our game.”

“I have not ruled out changes, it’s something I feel must be done to try and lift our game. But I believe in the boys. Hopefully the successive losses will be a soul-searching experience for them to start working together as a team. I hope they realise they have a big task ahead of them and give it all they got.”

For the Tau’uta Reds, meanwhile, Saturday's game means the beginning of a new chapter. A chapter that coach Sione Tanoa hopes will see them live up to their 2007 top-of-the-table finish and eventual runners-up status.

He has made his players vow to come away with bonus-point wins in their remaining matches, beginning this weekend against the Barbarians.

“We have not performed at all so far,” Tanoa said. “Look at us now: we are at the bottom of the table, a far cry from the team that finished runners-up last year.”

“But I have told the boys, it’s not over. We can always relive last year’s feat and do even better to win. We have three games to win and win well, starting with the Barbarians this Saturday.”

Tanoa has indicated a major reshuffle to his line-up and among the changes will be to bring back try-scoring skipper Afele Tongia, who missed out on the clash against Tautahi Gold last week after a red card incident in Round 1 against Upolu Samoa.

The match kicks off at 3pm on Saturday at Lawaqa Park, with adults tickets selling for $5, and children $1