Match report
Summary
So, it’s one from one in Pool D for Australia, as they start their ninth World Cup campaign in the manner they’ve started eight previously, with a win.
For nearly 50 minutes they were absolutely in a battle here - Fiji were expected to be fearsome with ball in hand, but especially in the first half the Pasifika nation also looked well-organised, disciplined and solid at the set piece. They led at the break, and even jumped to a nine-point lead early in the second half, but whether fitness or depth played a part, it was Australia that finished by far the stronger side.
A change of tactics - a reversion to a simpler form of rugby, built on clever kicking and solid metres up the centre - probably played a part in the significant shift of momentum. Fiji saw a man dismissed for repeated infringements and the Wallabies were ruthless in prosecuting their advantage.
A bruising encounter first up - plenty to come from this group with Wales, Georgia and Uruguay still to come!
A tweet in from Michael:
@rrjparkin Discipline was always going to be key but Fiji have suffered from O’Keefe who has proved a game changer for all those who have Hodge in their fantasy teams. Hope we’re not returning to the bad old days of (tier-)one-eyed refereeing. #AUSvFIJ
— Michael Keane (@m_keane) September 21, 2019
What do you think, folks back home?
There was certainly a huge momentum change about 60 minutes into that one - but were Fiji starting to fade before the yellow card for repeated infringements?
Australia were good in the scrum, solid in the lineout and started to get on top with the driving mauls. We’ll wait to see what coach John McKee makes of it all the post-game presser, I guess.
So! A first look at Pool D action. Your thoughts on that opening clash?
Michael Hooper looks a relieved man after the match. “Are you happy with that one?” “Absolutely!”
And can you blame him. 18 points the difference at the end - you’d be hard pressed to find someone who would tell you that that was an eighteen point match, though.
Full-time: Australia 39-21 Fiji
And after a bonus five minutes (that might have felt an eternity for aching limbs) its Pocock who gets his hands on the pill and boots it into touch!
That’s the game, that’s the win for Australia. They’ve come through a tough first-up examination - and just got over the line.
Updated
80 min: And there’s that gong again (love it). Fiji earn the penalty and they look to play on - can they salvage a late consolation try?
It’s a Fijian lineout 5m out and they go short. There’s another advantage for collapsing the maul, and we play an extra few minutes. I don’t think guys like Pocock fancy this - it’s been a long hard road back from injury for some.
They go short with another line out, and it’s a knock on as Slipper dives for the intercept but can’t hold it. We play on.
79 min: Australia get isolated and Fiji win the turnover. One last chance for Fiji to show their backline pace. There’s a knock on though, and the chance is lost. Some big tired bodies out there.
77 min: Over 40,000 fans in tonight in Sapporo, and they’ve seen some decent rugby tonight - even if the neutral might have wanted to see it finish a little closer.
75 min: it’s Australia, once again on the attack.
It’s a tough scoreline this - if you wandered in you’d think it was a comfortable margin for the Wallabies, but for 60 or so minutes it was anything but. Fiji have grounds to be aggrieved - they’ve been so good for so long, but it’s those championship minutes that have come to haunt them.
Try! Australia 39-21 Fiji (Koroibete)
73 min: Good work from Dane Haylett-Petty, fresh off the bench, to make space out wide for the flyer, Koroibete - and the former Melbourne Storm man scores in the corner!
Toomua with the attempt from near the touchline - and the legs are warm now, and he slots it!
71 min: A close up of a frustrated John McKee in the Fijian coaching box. He came so close to engineering a stunning first-up result here today, but perhaps that reaction tells you that he knows his side have finally let this one slip.
Try! Australia 32-21 Fiji (Kerevi)
68 min: They’re besieging the Fijian line here - Australia, but so far the defence has been okay around the ball.
They swing it wide for a change, and the man advantage pays dividend. It’s the outside centre who crashes over - and surely, that’s the resistance broken.
Toomua slots that one, and he adds the two extra points.
66 min: Jordan Uelese with the lineout feed as Latu leaves the pitch the first hooker to have ever scored a World Cup double. But he misses the jumper! Let off for Fiji.
They clear their lines, but not huge metres. Australia come again, but it’s a terrific steal from the fullback Murimurivalu with the Wallabies threatening once again!
64 min: So, after just over an hour - finally the Wallabies hit the front. Can they take advantage of the one-man advantage?
Another penalty to Australia, they’ve got all the momentum, the 2015 World Cup finalists.
Try! Australia 25-21 Fiji (Latu)
61 min: Yellow card! They had the warning - as Australia were on the attack once again it was another penalty against Fiji, and it’s the inside centre Levani Botia who’s sent to the sin bin.
It’s almost a carbon copy play from Australia - they get the push moving, Fiji try to defend but they spin it left this time, and it’s a rare try double for the hooker, Latu!
A third different kicker for the Wallabies, as Matt Toomua - freshly on for Leali’ifano - who tries his hand (or foot). But it just slides to the left! Important misses, these. Will it prove costly?
Updated
60 min: So - they’ve led for almost an hour, Fiji - but now the pressure is building. Can they hang on for this final 20? Both sides will begin to shuffle their packs - do they have the depth from the bench?
Try! Australia 20-21 Fiji (Latu)
57 min: There was no collapsing that maul - it was a decent initial counterpush from Fiji, put Pocock and Sio spin off the side and it’s the front-rower Latu who ends up over the line!
A strong forward pack move from Australia, and they finally get their reward!
It’s gettable from Hodge - but he thumps the conversion attempt to the right. Two points left on the field?
56 min: Australia try the cross-field kick - but the fullback Murimurivalu cleans up. A talk to the Fijian captain as we come back for another advantage penalty - it’s another case of collapsing the maul: next incident gets a yellow card is the word from the whistle-man, Ben O’Keefe.
Updated
55 min: Australia look to spread wide, but there’s a penalty against Fiji for collapsing the maul beforehand so we come back for the advantage. The Wallabies have a conference but decided to kick for touch. It worked last time - will they get the extra points this time?
Updated
53 min: Genia with a kick to the corner - and the 100+ cap half rolls on lovely ball into touch. Fiji lineout feed, which they win - but they’ve knocked on!
Big opportunity for Australia to push from a 5m lineout.
Penalty! Australia 15-21 Fiji
50 min: It’s a change of kickers with Leali’ifano perhaps carrying a slight leg knock, and Hodge smashes it over the black dot. An important three points for Australia to bring it back inside a converted try.
And Cheika’s seen enough - it’s White off and Genia on for an early change in the halves.
48 min: It’s a burst from Hooper! He’s leading from the front, and that’s great metres off the pop-pass from Leali’ifano. They’re about 10m out, Australia - but it’s been turned over! The fullback gets it one-on-one from Latu, great strength, Murimurivalu. They kick to clear their line, Fiji.
46 min: They’ve only had 30% of the possession so far, Fiji, but haven’t they made the most of what they’ve had.
For all the talk of their lethal backs, their forward pack has been pretty solid today, as well, Fiji.
Updated
Try! Australia 12-21 Fiji (Nayacalevu)
Oh my, oh my. It’s ball to ground in a pretty routine backline play - maybe some pressure from Fiji causing nerves in that area. And it’s the big centre - Nayacalevu - who recovers and sprints away through the middle! Nobody can catch him, it’s about a 60m dash. They were on the attack Australia, and they’ve coughed it up. How costly!
Volavola with the conversion from dead in front. A game-high 9pt lead for Fiji!
43 min: And now a penalty to the Wallabies as White is cleaned out illegally. Pocock with the turnover, he’s started the half brightly. Great metres from Hodge with the kick for touch - they gain 40m or so.
41 min: It’s pinched by Pocock - but he’s been pinged by the Kiwi referee for not supporting his bodyweight in the steal. A tight one - he doesn’t often get those wrong, the world’s best pilferer.
Second half!
And we’re back, and it’s Australia who start with ball in hand. White with the kick-clearance from inside the 22. Fijian lineout just inside the Wallabies’ half.
Tweet in from Ben:
@rrjparkin Great to see a Fiji team with proper prep behind them. Heart says they can do this. Head says 2nd 40 mins fitness & game management will ease Aussies through. Game on!
— Ben 📱🏊🏼♂️ 📺 Roome (@benroome) September 21, 2019
It’s a good point, Ben. There’s been a fair bit on investment from world rugby into some of the so-called “tier two” nations in recent years - $60m and the investment behind a “scrum factory” to help develop forward play.
A good yarn on this topic from last week - here’s Ben Ryan on the topic for your half-time reading:
So! A chance to catch breath. Your thoughts on that first half?
Fiji looking so dangerous one-on-one and out wide, as you’d suspect. Australia enjoying a little bit of superiority at the scrum and up through the middle.
Ceri Griffiths has written in:
At 24min that big last man tackle from Hodge on Yato looked an awful lot like a shoulder to the head!
Should he even be on the field right now?
It’s an interesting question, Ceri - at first look I did wonder if he got the arms wrapped, the Australian winger, as he came across at pace. It was a big collision and it’s a shame to see that Yato hasn’t returned to the action. A fair talking point.
Half-time: Australia 12-14 Fiji
And Volavola looks for touch - and that’s the first half! Both sides head to the sheds to the applause of an appreciative crowd in Sapporo.
What a half of rugby from Fiji: they go in ahead, can they repeat the dose after the break?
Updated
39 min: Another injury break as the big front rower Campese Ma’afu receives some attention ahead of the scrum. He seems okay, thankfully.
There’s the gong for half-time. Love it - very Iron Chef. We set for a scrum though.
37 min: Rodda with the receive deep after Fiji restart. Australia look to spread again, but Koroibete almost runs out of real estate. Good run from O’Connor who skips through one or two would-be tacklers. Kerevi tries to pump the legs, 10 phases from the Wallabies. But it’s a knock on from White. Ach, a let off.
Try! Australia 12-14 Fiji (Hodge)
34 min: Hooper elects to go for touch! Big call from the captain - they’ll need points here to justify this.
Australia win the lineout, they set for the big push. Nakarawa almost turns it over, but the Wallabies retain. They’re about 10m out - they swing to the edge.. and it’s Hodge in the corner!
Leali’ifano from the touchline with the conversion attempt to level it - but he hooks it across the face.
Updated
32 min: Penalty against the Fijians this time. Australia kick to touch and Latu looks to feed in.
Arnold rises and wins well. Gee, they’re up quick on Leali’ifano once again - he’s having a torrid start to this one. We go back for a high tackle. Do they take the shot, Australia? It’s about 40m out.
Penalty! Australia 7-14 Fiji
A tricky one from Volavola but he just creeps it over. A good strike and an important three points - takes it out to a converted try lead.
Some frustration creeping in for the Wallabies - you can hear players questioning the refereeing team on certain occasions.
A tweet in from Andy:
@rrjparkin morning Richard, why are Australia trying to play Fiji at running rugby?
— (((AndyinBrum))) (@AndyinBrum) September 21, 2019
It’s a terrific question. The Wallabies going wide early on on several occasions, and not getting any rewards from it. Maybe nerves? Peer pressure?
28 min: Good attacking momentum here, but they’ve spilled in contact again, just 10m from the line, Fiji! Credit the defence, I guess, but a couple of loose carries letting themselves down.
Samu Kerevi with a clearing kick - but we come back for a suspected high shot from Izack Rodda.
27 min: They go left Fiji, but it’s good defence from Hodge once again and Botia spills the ball in the contact! Australia kick to clear their line but doesn’t get much distance on it. Fijian lineout about 20m out.
26 min: Some concussion concern for Yato - that’s a shame, what a start he’s had. But he’s replaced for a suspected head knock.
What can they muster from the scrum, Fiji. We know how good their backs are - let’s see what their forwards can come up with.
24 min: Fiji with a lineout feed and it’s Yato bursting through - what a game he’s having, he’s broken the Australian line on at least three occasions already. Big last man tackle from Hodge - he may have saved a try there. And then it’s Kerevi who picks up a spilled ball, but he’s caught in his own in-goal area, and it’s Fiji with an attacking scrum!
Penalty! Australia 7-11 Fiji
They take the shot at goal from deep, and it just stays on line from Volavola. It really is an unusual kicking style - not Dan Biggar or Johnny Wilkinson prep-wise, just odd. I dunno - see if it’s on Youtube somewhere. It gets the job done, though, and that’s the main thing.
20 min: Fiji restart deep, Hooper receives (he’s everywhere!)
Advantage Australia as a Fijian player gets offside and prevents the distribution from White. They kick to touch and look to feed a lineout from just inside the Fijian half, but it’s a terrific hit on Leali’ifano and they cough up possession, Australia!
Are they targeting the Wallabies’ No 10, or is he just unlucky early on? this time it’s Botia who collects the fly half.
Try! Australia 7-8 Fiji (Hooper)
17 min: Wallabies with a big push from the scrum - good opportunity here, they’re just 10m out. They look to pick and carry, and there’s a man in gold that’s bustled over - it’s the skipper! He’s got through about three there from 5m out - plenty to do, but he stayed low and got there.
Leali’ifano converts from just off to the side.
Updated
15 min: Leali’ifano sparks a move, but he’s clattered and remains down as Australia look to spread wide. This is better from the Wallabies, but the force the last pass and it’s turned over.
They win the scrum feed after a small Fijian knock on. Leali’ifano gets back to his feet, a little gingerly.
13 min: Relieving penalty for Australia from the scrum - they need to win some little battles, the Wallabies - it’s been the Pasifika nation that’s on the front foot over the first 10 or so minutes.
11 min: Penalty against Australia, as Koroibete gets isolated - the attack peters out. Fiji kick to touch and look to launch from a five-man lineout.
It’s a long feed, and they’re straight on the attack, the Fijians. They look for Radradra with the crossfield kick and he rises above Hodge - but can’t quite hold the regather! Nearly a second try!
10 min: Welly, well. If they didn’t realise they were at the World Cup, the Wallabies - they do now. Ten of the fifteen in gold making their cup debuts today. You’d imagine some settling words from Hooper.
Try! Australia 0-8 Fiji (Yato)
7 min: Lovely bust! It’s Tuisova with a huge bump down the wing - his opposite number brushed aside with consummate ease, and then with hardly any territory to work with they burst down the wing - Yato, backs up on the inside and scores in the corner!
Volavola just hooks to the left with the conversion attempt.
Game on!
Updated
6 min: Australia do well to regather from the short kick off, but they look to push wide and it’s into touch as Beale fails to find his man on the wing. Fijian lineout.
Penalty! Australia 0-3 Fiji
First blood! Out to the left of the posts but it’s right over the black dot from Ben Volavola. A curious kicking style, but he gets it done.
3 min: A well-weighted kick to the corner by Fiji - and it will be an Australian lineout just 5m out from their own line.
They win it, the men in gold - but Nakarawa isolates Nic White, and they’ve conceded an early penalty, the Wallabies!
2 min: First look of Australia with the ball, but O’Connor is turned over after a strong one-on-one tackle from Tuisova.
A nervous moment for the Fijian winger a little later as Koroibete puts a kick in that he juggles, but it goes backwards.
Kick off!
1 min: It’s the Wallabies who get us underway, and they kick deep. And there’s a charge down! Dramatic start - Fiji recover the ball, just metres from their own line.
We’ve seen the Fijians rugby sevens gather with a song of praise - but it’s the pre-game war dance for the 15s team. It’s well received by the crowd, and the Australian team.
A conflicted role for former Australian U20s assistant coach John McKee - Fiji’s coach. But he’s a professional, you’d imagine. Three Fijian-born players in the Wallabies XV - Samu Kerevi, Marika Koroibete and Isi Naisarani. So emotions all round, you’d think.
Updated
Our players have had their dressing room huddles - and they’ve just left the tunnel to a tremendous reception. What a crowd, what a stadium this looks!
And now it’s time for the anthems, Fiji first, then Australia.
So without further ado - some team news:
It feels an age since both David Pocock and Michael Hooper both started in gold for Australia, while for NRL fans, there’s a pretty familiar name starting in the centres for Fiji.
Australia:
15 Kurtley Beale, 14 Reece Hodge, 13 James O’Connor, 12 Samu Kerevi, 11 Marika Koroibete, 10 Christian Lealiifano, 9 Nic White, 8 Isi Naisarani, 7 Michael Hooper (c), 6 David Pocock, 5 Rory Arnold, 4 Izack Rodda, 3 Allan Alaalatoa, 2 Tolu Latu, 1 Scott Sio.
Bench: 16 Jordan Uelese, 17 James Slipper, 18 Sekope Kepu, 19 Adam Coleman, 20 Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, 21 Will Genia, 22 Matt To’omua, 23 Dane Haylett-Petty.
Fiji:
15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 Josua Tuisova, 13 Waisea Nayacalevu, 12 Levani Botia, 11 Semi Radradra, 10 Ben Volavola, 9 Frank Lomani, 8 Viliame Mata, 7 Peceli Yato, 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu (c), 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Tevita Cavubati, 3 Peni Ravai, 2 Samuel Matavesi, 1 Campese Ma’afu.
Bench: 16 Tuvere Vugakoto, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Manasa Saulo, 19 Tevita Ratuva, 20 Mosese Voka, 21 Nikola Matawalu, 22 Alivereti Veitokani, 23 Vereniki Goneva.
As I noted in the preview, Australia have won the previous 11 clashes against Fiji - but with the last of those coming over two years ago it’s uncertain how little of that history will matter today.
They’ve won their opening pool game on 7 of 8 occasions, Australia (spot quiz: can you remember the one they didn’t?) - so it may very much depend upon whether Michael Cheika has got his troops in the right headspace. With the most experienced group at the entire WC (average caps / player) you’d imagine Australia won’t get “caught cold” - but stranger things have happened.
Fiji for their part come in on a three-game winning streak and their highest ever world ranking, so will be no pushovers.
Afternoon/morning/evening all! From me to you, from wherever you’re following our coverage today.
I’m not sure about you, but I have genuine butterflies in the stomach - not for any partisan reasons, but simply because it’s the World Cup! The pinnacle of any sport’s quadrennial calendar - the event that fuels the dreams that get players through every dreary morning training or gruelling injury recovery sessions.
Australia v Fiji. No walk in the park for the Wallabies and what a test for the Pasifika nation. Ranked in the top ten - above nations such as Argentina that have troubled Australia.
Your thoughts on this contest? Fire us an email or tweet to join the conversation here - this is a train that picks up all passengers.
Preamble
With a flurry of pomp and pageantry the Rugby World Cup is officially underway - and in pretty positive fashion for the home nation after their opening night triumph.
For Australian and Fijian fans all eyes turn to game two - which outside of the massive NZ v South Africa blockbuster later today is surely one of the picks of the opening rounds.
In theory, Australia should be strong favourites to win. That’s certainly been the case the last eleven times these two nations have met, including twice previously at World Cup level.
And yet. With Fiji one of the so-called “tier two” nations that’s very much on the rise, packed with explosive individual talent, there’s a lurking suspicion the powerhouses at rugby sevens level might just be ready to step up and make a huge statement in the 15-a-side game.
It’s a clash that has “banana skin” written all over it - especially for a Wallabies side coming off hugely indifferent form over the past 18 months, despite the recent win over New Zealand.
Whatever happens, it’s likely to be fast, furious, and above all, hugely entertaining - so strap in and enjoy the ride!
