When Australia scored not long after the break you feared for Fiji. The Wallabies looked like they were going to go on and not only get the bonus point but rack up a big score too. They didn’t though, and in the final 36 minutes only managed a single penalty.
As with the England game, they final points difference doesn’t really reflect how well Fiji played, although they perhaps only have themselves to blame for the lack of composure that may, again, have cost them a losing bonus point. Wales certainly won’t find them easy to beat.
That’s all from me, folks. Thanks very much for reading. Be sure to join Tom Bryant for France v Romania in 20 minutes or so. Bye!
Updated
Full-time: Australia 28-13 Fiji
Mumm spills it in midfield, but Fiji are happy to keep playing. It goes right, but Folau manages to usher Tikoirotuma into touch and that’s that.
80 min Australia get the penalty and Toomua puts it into touch on the left, around his own 10 metre line. Of course if they don’t get another try, they’ll be behind England and Wales in the group. It’s not important now, obviously, but it might turn out to be later on. They’re not making any ground so far.
79 min We’re still waiting for this scrum.
78 min This match might be done, but this is magnificent to watch. Colati comes on for Saulo and Toomua does likewise for Foley. Shane Williams is rightly unimpressed as Swing Low starts up in the crowd.
77 min Still they look to blast the Australians away, on the 22 now. Again Voluvalu steps and offloads, with Saulo taking it into a 14th phase. Another offload from Nakarawa sends it to Tuapati on the right-hand touchline, but this time it’s forwards.
76 min Free kick to Fiji and Yato, then Nakarawa go on the charge. They go right, then left, then Nakarawa so nearly puts his captain Qera in. He’s stopped short, then some inaccurate passing as they look to get it out to Nadolo means momentum is lost.
75 min This scrum’s taking a while. It looks to me as though Ma’afu is struggling now.
74 min Ravulo is on for Talei, with Yato moving to number eight. Fiji opt for the scrum, 10 metres out, in front of the posts.
73 min Fiji set the driving maul as Beale replaces Giteau. It’s slow going, so they go left and Nadolo tries to smash it through the middle. His cousin Kuridrani stops him, but then doesn’t roll away and is sent to the sin bin for his troubles.
72 min Fiji look to spread it from the lineout, but there’s no real momentum and they’re being driven back by Australia’s fast line speed. Volavola kicks for territory; Phipps reads it, but can only fingertip it into touch.
71 min Another change as the giant Will Skelton comes on for Douglas.
Penalty (Foley 70) Australia 28-13 Fiji
35 metres out, wide-ish right Foley bisects the posts.
Updated
69 min Boos with Australian accents ring out as Foley elects to kick at goal. That’s a sensible decision, as Fiji were just starting to make life uncomfortable for Australia.
68 min I should have clarified that Slipper did get up and walk off. Australia are too strong at the scrum and win a comfortable penalty.
67 min It appears there was a penalty awarded to Australia for an offence at the breakdown there, so they clear their lines. Phipps is on for Genia as Fiji win the turnover on their own 22, but Tikoirotuma knocks on. Oddly they’re not going back for the first knock on by Polota-Nau.
This looks bad. Slipper couldn’t get low enough as he came across to tackle the flanker and got knocked out. He goes off, Sio returns. Meanwhile Polota-Nau comes on for Moore.
66 min Yato’s steal makes it three in a row and now Talebula opts to run it. Nakarawa puts the flanker away down the right with a brilliant offload, but the collision between him and Slipper is a nasty one and Jackson stops play. Oh yeah that’s a bad clash of heads and the Australia prop has come off much worse.
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65 min Nakarawa steals it from Mumm again! The clearance gets it up to halfway this time and that’s outstanding defence at the set piece – it was a brave decision to contest the lineout that close to the line too.
64 min Foley goes to the corner as Australia seek to match England’s bonus point. They won’t there though, as Nakarwa rises miles above everyone to tap it back to Kenatale. He clears to the 22.
63 min Australia go through the phases, carrying up to the 22, although they very nearly let Fiji away when Nakarawa hacks the loose ball away, but it’s not a clean connection. Penalty Australia for another careless, high tackle, this time from Soqeta.
62 min After Nadolo’s conversion a couple of replacements: Mumm on for Simmons and Soqeta for Cavulocuti.
Try! (Volavola 60 + Nadolo con) Australia 25-13 Fiji
Talei takes at the front and Fiji get the driving maul going. Nadolo takes it at first receiver and is stopped well, so Fiji go right. Folau comes out the line and makes a good tackle, but Australia can’t quite win it. Back left it goes and Volavola dummies twice, steps and goes between the two second rows to score from 20 metres out!
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59 min The next one goes to the bin, Jackson warns Australia. Volavola thumps his kick into the corner, so Fiji will get a 5 metre lineout. The crowd are getting right behind Fiji now.
58 min Australia clear and it’s advantage over, so here come Fiji again, back at that broken field. Volavola dummies and goes through a gap, then gives it left to Lovobalavu to carry up to the 22. Another penalty for Holmes not rolling away.
57 min It’s taken at the back by Yato. Fiji recycle, but there’s little structure to their backline out there. Volavola fires a pass far too flat and, under pressure, Lovobelavu knocks on.
56 min Fiji nick the lineout, before Pocock goes offside again at a ruck and Volavola sticks it into the 22. Sio and Kepu off, Slipper and Holmes on in their stead.
55 min The penalty is right in the centre of the field on halfway, but Volavola is too ambitious and misses touch in the corner. Australia return the kick and Yato comes charging forward. He’s called in touch, wrongly, before he can offload to Nadolo.
54 min Australia shuffle it into touch after Qera sends a pass just behind Goneva wide on the right. From the lineout, Fiji don’t do much, but Pocock goes offside at a ruck and concedes a penalty.
53 min Again Genia puts it up high from a lineout just inside his own half, again Fiji field it and again they spread it quickly to Nadolo. He barges through two men, before Hooper absolutely smashes into Lovobalavu when it’s shifted back into midfield.
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52 min Matawalu has gone straight for medical treatment and that’s really bad news for Fiji.
51 min Australia win the lineout just inside their own 10 metre line and Genia sends it high. Nadolo takes and Fiji spread it left to right. It’s popped back inside to Goneva, who can’t get the scoring pass inside to Talebula away. Pococks comes in and rips the ball away.
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50 min A slight surprise now as Matawalu, who took a bump earlier, is replaced by Kenatale. Scrappy lineout ball from from Fiji and eventually their probing comes to nothing as Lovobalavu throws a looping pass way over Nadolo’s head and into touch.
49 min Australia carry it up over the gainline through Folau and Fardy, but then the latter holds on in the tackle. Pats on the back for Ma’afu for winning the turnover there. Volavola puts it up the park.
48 min The Harlequin Talei takes the restart, Matawalu fires it back to Volavola and the 10 clears, but only up inside his own 10 metre line. Douglas wins the lineout.
Penalty (Nadolo 47) Australia 25-6 Fiji
It’s about five metres to the left of the posts, around 37 out. Nadolo steps up and weeps it comfortably through the uprights.
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46 min Better yet for the Wallabies, as Simmons nicks the lineout. Foley comes into the ruck, needlessly, you have to say, and goes off his feet. Looks like Nadolo is going to have a go at goal, which seems an odd one.
45 min The restart goes deep, so this time Australia opt to kick it. Foley finds an excellent touch from behind his own goal-line, just 14 metres inside his own half.
Conversion (Foely 44) Australia 25-3 Fiji
This is about done now. Fiji just need to avoid embarrassment.
Try! (Kepu 43) Australia 23-3 Fiji
A short lineout, from which Foley looks to step inside. In a flash, the ball is worked left to Folau. He pumps the legs and gets up to six metres out. Recycled, quick hands working it back inside and Kepu shurgs off Tuapati’s tackle to go over to the right of the posts.
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42 min It goes loose again and Qera picks it up from the breakdown. Right they come, pushing up towards halfway, but they hold on after a good tackle from Kuridrani and Giteau this time kicks the penalty to touch, on the 22, on the right.
41 min Here we go again, as Foley gets this thing restarted. Nadolo goes back into the 10 slot and clears, but Folau takes the lineout quickly to himself and jinks down the left, looking to give Australia a platform. It goes loose when they recycle, but Australia retain possession.
“Hi Dan,” writes Robin Hazelhurst, who I recently promised I’d mention that his weird tab for the Manic’s Australia that he sent me ages ago actually sounds pretty handy on the acoustic guitar. “I was at least hoping that Australia would miss out on the bonus point here, but it is looking ominous. And that ominousness is making Saturday’s England Wales match look even more nerve wracking. This could get painful for more than just Fiji.”
Australia looking very lively, fresh out of the box. Rest periods will be a huge conversation piece, as they are every RWC. #RWC2015
— Martin Bayfield (@MartinBayfield) September 23, 2015
Also I am aware that for all the scintillating back play, most of the scoring has come from powerful pack drives. Thus rendering my preamble a bit silly.
Australia will be pleased with that. Fiji put together some nice moves and showed glimpses of what they can do but – and how many times have we said this? – their lack of discipline cost them.
Updated
Half-time: Australia 18-3 Fiji
Fiji go for the short lineout, Nakarawa takes it safely and Nadolo goes into the pocket to boot it into touch.
39 min Genia sends it high with a box kick and the ball bounces out of the arms of Volavola and into those of Foley. He hasn’t got space to scamper home from 35 metres on the left, so it’s spun right and Ashley-Cooper stabs a kick through to the corner.
Penalty (Foley 38) Australia 18-3 Fiji
Foley’s penalty is good, creeping just inside the near post. Australia looking close to comfortable here.
37 min An exchange of kicks, but Fiji, á la the Rolling Stones, let it loose in midfield. There’s a hint of panic in the ranks as they desperately flop off their feet and over the ball and, as such, Australia get the penalty 15m in from the right, around 41 metre from goal.
36 min Matawalu comes scorching off the back of the scrum and gets it left to Nadolo. He takes it on but Talei gives away a penalty by coming charging off his feet. Foley misses touch though.
35 min Ashley-Cooper looks to set Genia away with a popped inside pass, but the scrum-half knocks on in the tackle. Yato makes way for Ravai, the amateur prop, for the scrum.
34 min Giteau sends a long kick bouncing into the 22. Across comes Talebula to field and the full-back gets a touch lucky, as Ashley-Cooper half charges his clearance into touch.
33 min A much easier conversion, 15 in from the left right on the 22, but it’s hooked left by the fly-half.
Try! (Pocock 31) Australia 15-3 Fiji
It’s an easy three points, but we go to the corner again. Moore throws to the back and in a flash the maul rolls over the line. Pocock at the back of it again.
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30 min A good line from Kuridrani and a good dummy run from Genia see Australia swiftly up to the Fijian 22. Out it goes and Pocock goes flying into Nadolo. It looks as painful as it sounds. Back for a penalty against Ma’afu, for kicking the ball out of a ruck and the prop goes to the sin-bin for his cynical play.
29 min Fiji need to make sure their heads don’t go here. Volavola’s kick goes out on the full. I’m wondering if they might consider bringing on the more conservative, steady Josh Matavesi if things get a bit rocky, quickly.
Conversion (Foley 28) Australia 10-3 Fiji
A good kick from wide on the right.
@DanLucas86 All those music puns and you miss Backstreet's Back?
— Nick (@trvynicolas) September 23, 2015
Believe me, I didn’t miss it.
Try! (Pocock 27) Australia 8-3 Fiji
Again the maul goes to ground, but this time Pocock keeps it alive and crashes over from a metre or so out on the right.
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26 min Back come Australia and they get it out to Folau on the right wing. He looks to step inside Nadolo and the Fijian’s arm slips up. High tackle and Foley goes back to the corner...
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25 min Australia drive towards the line, but Fiji stop it well. Genia flings it quickly infield, but the ball goes behind the centres and they’ll have to reset.
24 min A huge chance for Australia as they turn Fiji over on the 22. It goes left and there’s a massive overlap, but Hooper drops it two metres out. There’s a penalty though, as Matawalu went in at the side. Foley goes into the corner.
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23 min Thrilling break by Matawalu going round the corner and finding space just over halfway after a massive collision between Goneva and Hooper. He gets it out, but there’s a turnover and Foley kicks ahead, ignoring Kuridrani in space inside him
22 min Foley restarts and Goneva takes. The ball is turned over by Fardy, but he stuck his hands in there illegally and Fiji can clear their lines with a penalty, which Volavola sticks into touch on halfway.
Penalty (Nadolo 21) Australia 3-3 Fiji
No he won’t, Nadolo will. He smacks it through and into the stands.
20 min Yato takes it and Talei crashes towards the line. Another penalty coming, so Volavola kicks across for Talebula. It doesn’t come off, but we go back for the offside. This time it’s right under the posts, so Volavola will take the points.
19 min Five metres out and the move breaks down, but it’s a penalty against Australia for collapsing the maul. Volavola puts it in the corner.
18 min Another huge touchfinder from near the centre of the park by Volavola gives Fiji a lineout on the 22, on the left. Nakarawa takes and the huge driving maul comes in. Nadolo adds his 20 stone and Australia crumble again. Now it comes off the back...
17 min I can’t remember ever seeing scrums like this. After a good 30 seconds of absolutely no movement, Australia’s pack caves and is splintered! Penalty to Fiji and there’s a bit of what we’re obliged to call handbags.
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15 min High ball from Foley is taken by Tikoirotuma, who stands still and at the last minute sidesteps the chasing Horne, who goes flying on to the turf. They go forward, but knock on under pressure at the breakdown from Hooper on their own 10 metre line.
14 min It’s not the best lineout from Fiji, but they have advantage as Australia knock it on. The ball comes back right from Matawalu, who pops a lovely overhead pass to Nakarawa, but he runs out of room when giving on to, er the prop Saulo, on the wing. He runs into touch.
13 min Lovely footwork from Volavola after the lineout, stepping back inside to draw the defenders before offloading to Matawalyu, who gives it on to Goneva. The Leicester man stabs it into the corner, but Australia win it cleanly and Giteau clears easily enough.
Updated
12 min Hooper takes at the front and Pocock carries it up. They go through a couple of phases, but Yato gets over Foley brilliantly to seal it off, legally, and earn the penalty for holding on. Volavola finds an excellent touch near the Aussie 22 on the left.
11 min Australia go through the hands again from the restart and win a penalty as Ma’afu doesn’t roll away from the ruck, just outside the Wallabies’ 22. Foley kicks to touch just inside the Fijian 10 metre line, on the right.
Penalty (Foley 10) Australia 3-0 Fiji
Perfectly in front of the posts and just 15 metres out, Foley won’t have an easier kick than that.
8 min This is one hell of a scrum, neither side giving a fraction of an inch. Eventually it’s hooked back and Kuridrani crashes it up the middle. Foley fires a bullet pass out to Horne, who fumbles, but we’re going back for a tackle without the ball.
7 min Now Fiji look to get it through the hands, but the final pass to Nadolo goes loose. Ashley-Cooper hacks ahead and Talebula fields, but then the full-back throws a wide pass miles forward in his own 22. Danger now...
6 min A rare error from the veteran Ashley-Cooper, as he fields a clearance and thumps the return out on the full.
5 min Nayacalevu is off, replaced by Tikoirotuma. Fiji win their lineout, albeit unconvincingly, and get it clear.
4 min It’s still a good position for Australia though, 25 metres out on the right. Fardy goes charging through the tackle of Lovobalavu. It’s shipped wide but into touch from Australia.
3 min “We’re gonna play on, just tell him to move,” says Glen Jackson though, so Fiji need to do something. Simmons takes the linout and the maul thunders up to the 22. Left it goes at speed and Folau comes flying into the line to carry it up. Australia switch it right, but it’s pinched from the Australian hands by Yato. Nadolo clears to touch.
2 min From the lineout, Fiji go left across the pitch to, you’ll be unsurprised to hear, Nadolo. He gets penalised for holding on though, so Foley kicks to touch 15 metres inside the Fijian half on the right. There’s a problem for Fiji though, as Nayacalevu is down, having twisted his knee badly in contact with Hooper.
Peep! Glen Jackson blows his whistle and Volavola gets us started. Australia spread it from the kick-off, going left and Genia has a dart down the short side. He’s dragged into touch though, just short of the 10 metre line.
Anthems watch: Australia’s players might be the worst singers I’ve ever heard.
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Here come the players! They’ll be wearing their traditional colours.
@guardian_sport @DanLucas86 scheduling seems tough on 'minnows'
— Ron Davies (@Ronelworth) September 23, 2015
Indeed, just look what happened to Japan earlier today. By my reckoning there is one team in each pool that gets to only play weekends, so it’s kind of unavoidable that most teams will have short turnarounds. The smaller teams don’t seem to have much luck though.
There is a slightly intriguing background to this match. Nadolo’s cousin, Tevita Kuridrani, is lining up at outside centre for Australia. Further to that, prop Campese Ma’afu’s older brother is the former Australia and Northampton front-row Salesi.
More good news for Fiji: they can go back to being everyone’s second favourite team, as Japan are being well beaten by plucky underdogs Scotland. Tom Bryant has the latest.
Preamble
Afternoon, folks. Back to Black. Neil Back. Springsteen’s Backstreets. Back to the Future. Back in Black. Steve Backley. Everyone loves backs. We can espouse the thrills of a properly done rolling maul, of gainline-breaking drives and of a destructive scrum all we like, but the truth is that there is little more thrilling rugby than a scintillating move from those behind the scrum, the ball flying through the hands at blinding speeds and a pacey wing searing across the turf.
There are few teams at this World Cup, New Zealand aside, with a more exciting set of backs than these two sides. Nemani Nadolo, Vereniki Goneva and Nikola Matawalu playing for the side that has scored at least one try in each of their last 29 Tests (a record, that); Matt Giteau, Will Genia and Israel Folau on t’other. If it stays dry in Cardiff then these two sides could fly and run ‘til it hurts and make this match one of the great World Cup spectacles.
This is going to be a mighty struggle for Fiji. Never mind that they’re playing the Rugby Championship, er, champions, the world’s number two-ranked side and one of the favourites for the World Cup. Just five days have passed since their opening match against England, they need to win this one to keep their dreams of qualifying realistically alive and they have lost the flanker Dominiko Waqaniburotu, who has been controversially suspended for a week for a dangerous tackle in the last match (personally I thought the citing was harsh, but then he did admit to dangerous play, so they can’t complain too much about the ban). That said, his replacement is Clermont Augvergne’s Peceli Yato, who isn’t a bad replacement at all.
Their best bet seems to be to catch Australia cold, hoping that the Wallabies are underprepared having not played a competitive game since September 5, when they beat the USA, and not having faced tier one opposition since the 41-13 hammering by the All Blacks in Auckland five weeks or so ago.
Otherwise, Australia have named a mighty strong side. David Pocock and Michael Hooper, who wrought havoc at the breakdown during the Rugby Championship decider when they decidedly got the better of Richie McCaw et al, are both in the side today as Michael Cheika looks to not be taking any chances. The selection of Bernard Foley at 10 over Matt Toomua and Quade Cooper suggests he wants his side to play a sensible game too.
Personally I think Australia, like England, will eventually have too much for Fiji and will probably win by a few more points (20 or so, if you want a prediction). That’s not the most confident prediction though; I feel much surer in promising* that whatever happens will be mighty entertaining.
Kick-off is at 4.45pm BST. That’s 1.45am Sydney time or 3.45am in Fiji. No one’s going to read this, are they? Ah well, here are your teams.
Australia
Folau; Ashley-Cooper, Kuridrani, Giteau, Horne; Foley, Genia; Sio, Moore (capt), Kepu, Douglas, Simmons, Fardy, Hooper, Pocock.
Replacements: Polota-Nau, Slipper, Holmes, Skelton, Mumm, Phipps, Toomua, Beale.
Fiji
Talebula; Nayacalevu, Goneva, Lovobalavu, Nadolo; Volavola, Matawalu; Ma’afu, Tuapati, Saulo, Cavubati, Nakarawa, Yato, Qera, Talei.
Replacements: Veikoso, Ravai, Colati, Soqeta, Ravulo, Kenatale, Matavesi, Tikoirotuma.
*No promises made by you MBMer are ever binding.
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