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Historically, the blueprint for beating Fiji has been built on structure.
Allow the game to descend into broken play and the Pacific Islanders possess the attacking brilliance to dismantle any team in world rugby. Few sides can match their instinctive flair, and once the contest becomes loose, they are at their most dangerous.
Arguably, Wales’ biggest challenge has come long before kick-off. The protracted dispute over match fees has cast a shadow over preparations, threatening to distract from the task at hand.
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Playing Fiji is difficult enough with a full week of focused preparation. Doing so against the backdrop of an unresolved off-field row only makes the challenge that much greater.
Steve Tandy has selected a pack for this Nations Championship opener at Cardiff City Stadium that should be able to at least gain parity if not the upper hand.
He will expect the likes of Rhys Carré, Dewi Lake and Aaron Wainwright to carry hard to get his side over the gainline.
Wales must play this game on the front foot, dictating both territory and tempo. Just as importantly, they cannot afford to offer Fiji easy invitations into their 22 through needless errors or lapses in discipline, where the visitors have the ability to punish even the slightest opportunity.
Tighthead prop Dillon Lewis will also be a key player for Wales on Saturday.
At Allianz Stadium, Twickenham last weekend Lewis got given a torrid time at the scrum and was pushed backwards on a few occasions.
Wales coughed up too many penalties in this area and Fiji will likely go after them at the scrum.
The absence of Tomas Francis could be keenly felt at scrum time which is why Lewis must achieve at least parity because Wales don’t want to be conceding too much field position.
What will help Lewis’ cause is the return of Adam Beard to the starting XV who will add considerable weight at scrum time.
Beard lost his place during the Six Nations after a poor performance against France and this is his opportunity to lay down a marker.
He is often criticised for his lack of carrying but Beard is a player who excels at maul time and tends to get through a load of the unseen dirty work which allows other players to shine.
The breakdown is also an area Wales must get on top of from the word go.
Both Alex Mann and Jac Morgan must slow down the speed to Fiji’s attacking ruck ball because if they can’t, they will get hurt.
Wales must match Fiji’s physicality from the outset against opponents who have consistently posed them problems over the years.
It goes without saying Dan Edwards also has a key role to play on Saturday. The Ospreys playmaker is a dangerous attacking threat but he needs to kick accurately because Fiji have the firepower to score from anywhere.
If the likes of Lyon wing Jiuta Wainiqolo, Bristol star Kalaveti Ravouvou, Selestino Ravutaumada and Josua Tuisova get the ball in space then they will score tries for fun.
Make no mistake about it: Wales are coming up against one of the deadliest backlines in world rugby and new defence coach Peter Murchie has his hands full coming up with a plan to stop the flying Fijians.
But the Fiji pack will also be loaded with explosive ball carriers like former All Blacks No 8 Pita-Gus Sowakula and La Rochelle powerhouse Levani Botia.
Wales centres Joe Hawkins and Eddie James also have a big role to play defensively but also in unlocking the Fiji defence.
Tandy’s side do not have the same level of firepower behind the scrum as their opponents but the likes of Blair Murray and Louis Rees-Zammit are dangerous when put into space while there will be an onus on Scarlets centre James to carry hard.
Crucially, Tandy has also named a bench that appears well equipped to influence the contest as it unfolds.
The experience and carrying power of Nicky Smith and Taine Plumtree, allied to the energy of James Botham and the game management of Sam Costelow, should provide Wales with genuine impetus in the closing stages.
For Wales to begin their Nations Championship campaign with a much-needed victory, they must produce a disciplined, intelligent performance, winning the territorial battle and denying Fiji the broken-field opportunities they thrive upon.
The question that will ultimately define the afternoon, however, is whether they can keep Fiji’s attacking threat under control for 80 minutes.
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