The good news for England is that Uruguay cannot now catch them in Pool A. England have six points and bonus point win for Uruguay on Saturday would only get them five. Small mercies …
Cheerio!
Full-time! Fiji 47-15 Uruguay
And that’s it. Fiji bring the curtain down on their World Cup campaign with seven tries in total, the pick coming from Murimurivalu but it was their dominance at the set piece that was telling.
For Uruguay, it’s another heavy defeat but, apart from a loss of discipline towards the end that saw Ormaechea sent off for two yellow cards, they were excellent. They scored two tries, having had to wait 12 years for one at a World Cup, and they were robust in defence throughout. They will roll on to Manchester to face England on Saturday hoping to score another.
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Conversion! Fiji 47-15 Uruguay (Nadolo)
80 mins: The big man gets up to convert his own try with ease.
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Try! Fiji 45-15 Uruguay (Nadolo)
78 mins: Nakarawa wins it and the forwards are having a go first but it goes to the backs, namely Matavesi who produces a delightful offload for Nadolo to cruise over.
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77 mins: Fiji pop it in, and out, but Silva steals in and kicks towards the line, only for Matavesi to get back. He doesn’t ground the ball though and Fiji try and run it from behind their own line. Matavesi eventually sees sense and clears and Tikoirotuma is bearing down on it. He doesn’t make it but Fiji soon win the penalty and have a lineout just a few metres from the Uruguay line. There’s still time for one last try.
76 mins: JP wants another word with the two packs.
It’s hard to disagree with this.
@gerard_meagher MOTM JP Doyle at this stage.
— John Rogers (@JohnRogersShow) October 6, 2015
75 mins: Prada then breaks the line, Uruguay are threatening a THIRD try here but Prada loses it on the floor. Scrum.
74 mins: Back them come to the right, making light work of their numerical disadvantage, but it’s been stolen. That was 11 phases for Uruguay but Fiji clear through the replacement Matavesi. Mieres keeps it in though and evades the onrushing Nadolo and gets a cheer for his troubles.
73 mins: Fiji get the ball in and out and Botia has another burst down the left, exchanges passes with Tikoirotuma, but loses the return. Uruguay go through the hands to the left. Before the forwards take over with a series of short carries.
72 mins: JP wants a quick word so we’ll reset.
71 mins: Good touch there so it’s a Uruguay lineout in Fiji’s half. The forwards are picking and going, Fiji not really committing to the breakdown. But it’s been lost forward by Uruguay, and then Fiji, the long and short of which is a Fiji scrum on their own 22.
69 mins: Uruguay win the lineout though and Gaminara makes headway down the middle. Uruguay have it down the left but Fiji have turned it over and have a huge overlap on the left. But Doyle wants to check a tackle, nowhere near the ball, from Tikoirotuma on Prada. Just a Uruguay penalty says Doyle.
68 mins: Fiji win it, right on halfway, and Nadolo has a dash down the left but is taken into touch. A bit more needle there, it’s threatening to boil over.
67 mins: That was a busy minute wasn’t it. Hard to see what Ma’afu did wrong there, it was Ormaechea who started the trouble. Anyway that was a delightful try and instigated by Botia who may find himself somewhat sought after following this tournament. It’s a scrum by the way …
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Converted try! Fiji 40-15 Uruguay (Murimurivalu + Nadolo)
66 mins: Wowsers. That is a superb try, what Milton Keynes turned out in force to see! Botia made the break after the restart, found Qera on the left who charged down the wing and went back inside to Murimurivalu who slides over. There’s more afters here. Ormaechea and Ma’afu being ticked off. Both sent to the bin and that means’s it’s a red for Ormaechea seeing as it’s his second yellow.
Nadolo converts.
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Conversion! Fiji 33-15 Uruguay (Nadolo)
65 mins: Nadolo lands quite a tricky conversion and Doyle has a stern word but no more with Cavubati and Silva about said afters.
Try! Fiji 31-15 Uruguay (Cavubati)
64 mins: Botia has a powerful run and Fiji are just a metre or two short, with the advantage. The forwards are having a go first but it’s gone wide on the right to Goneva, he doesn’t get there but the replacement Cavubati does. And there’s a bit of afters … quite a lot of afters actually.
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63 mins: Fiji in the ascendancy again and this time win the penalty. Volavola kicks to touch and it’ll be a lineout just a few metres form Uruguay’s line.
62 mins: Doyle decides there’s nothing doing so we’ll have a scrum. Uruguay manage to get it out and after a couple of phases … it’s another scrum. Fiji knock-on so Uruguay will put in.
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60 mins: Murimurivalu has a run from deep and gets Fiji over half way. Qera releases Botia down the left but he cannot hold the ball. Doyle wants to check something with the TMO though. It’s Waqaniburotu coming into the ruck with little, if any, use of the arms.
59 mins: Ormaechea takes the conversion and it looks good but strikes the crossbar and bounces out.
Try! Fiji 26-15 Uruguay (Ormaechea)
57 mins: Volavola looks a bit clueless and his pass is loose, it’s kicked on by Silva who bares down on the ball but misses his kick! It doesn’t matter though, Mieres gathers, offloads to Arboleya. Ormaechea then picks up dives over in the corner.
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56 mins: A couple of changes for Fiji here. On comes Harlequins Talei but it’s Nadolo who has a dart up the middle. Up to the 22.
55 mins: Uruguay lineout again, a crafty one, they don’t even jump but, in a promising position, they’ve conceded the penalty. Zerbino, he of the fantastic moustache, the offender.
54 mins: Almost. Murimurivalu nearly got through but his offload went to ground. This is excellent defence from Uruguay and the ball is booted long. You wonder how long they’ll be able to keep this up.
53 mins: Fiji take it cleanly and here goes Goneva. More stoic Uruguay defence though. Koto has another carry but Fiji aren’t making much headway.
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52 mins: Volavola is growing into this game and that’s a lovely kick to touch down the left. Uruguay lineout but they make a hash of it so it’s Fiji’s turn to have a go.
51 mins: Koto finds himself with the ball and gets the legs pumping, Volavola tries a pop pass to Nadolo, off his wing, but the ball goes to ground and Uruguay have it. Ormaechea sees some space and kicks to the right corner but Fiji carry it up to near halfway.
50 mins: Volavola finds another touch, this time down Fiji’s left. Koto to thrown in, inside the Uruguay 22.
49 mins: Uruguay are going backwards but manage to get the ball out and Duran dummies then punts clear. Murimurivalu does likewise, so does Duran, before a lovely take from Volavola. Fiji have it on halfway and have the advantage as well. We’re going back from the penalty, Prada was offside.
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48 mins: Scrum goes to ground, both sides get a lecture from Doyle and we’ll go again. Ormaechea puts in …
47 mins: Qera has another run, then Matadigo but more impressive Uruguay defence sees them win a scrum. Fiji are threatening but cannot break this Uruguay defence down at present.
46 mins: So a Uruguay lineout between the 10m and Fiji’s 22. It went long over the top and Vilaseca catches it on the run. Fiji have turned it over though and Botia has a dash down the right.
45 mins: Gaminara has a carry, what a game he’s having, and Ormaechea clears. Doyle was playing advantage though for a high tackle on Gamiara from Fiji’s tighthead Atalifo.
44 mins: Uruguay have a lineout on halfway and get the maul going but Fiji have pinched it and Botia runs through the middle. Volavola makes a half-break but the offload is pretty atrocious. and it’s a Uruguay lineout.
43 mins: Fiji are going through the phases here and that’s a powerful run from Goneva. Then Qera again down the right and Koto down the middle. That’s excellent defence from Uruguay though and Gaminara again wins the penalty.
42 mins: Volavola finds what seems to be an umpteenth touch and we’ll have a Fiji lineout. It’s clean and Qera has a carry as Fiji work the ball towards the left.
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Peep!
41 mins: Duran gets us back underway with a deep restart, taken by Tikoirotuma, who charges into contact. Uruguay have it though, just inside the Fiji half but Gaminara concedes the penalty.
After a half like that, you have to wonder what might have been had Nadolo been playing against Wales. Anyway, ifs and buts etc
Half-time! Fiji 26-10 Uruguay
Well, four tries for Fiji but they are not quite at their fluent best – not helped by the weather of course but it wasn’t until Nakarawa’s try that we saw the kind of try for which they are famed. Instead their dominant set piece has been key to establishing this lead.
It looked like things might get messy for Uruguay early on but once Ormaechea was back from the sin-bin things tightened up and the hooker Arboleya scored a fantastic try, Uruguay’s first at the World Cup since 2003, scored by their coach, Pablo Lemoine, against England. He celebrated like a madman – obviously not too worried by losing that record.
40 mins: Oh dear, Duran finds touch again with the restart so it’s a scrum on halfway. Matadigo picks and goes but while Fiji threaten a knock-on prompts Doyle to blow for half-time.
39 mins: That, of course, is the bonus point for Fiji.
Converted try! Fiji 26-10 Uruguay (Nakarawa + Nadolo)
38 mins: Penalty awarded and Uruguay clear. Uruguay, somewhat bullishly get the maul going, but eventually kick downfield so Fiji have it on their 10m line. Here goes Nadolo, who romps down the left, races through the gears, effortlessly, and finds Nakarawa inside who cruises over for the try he deserves, judging by his previous performances.
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36 mins: Uruguay take the lineout quickly though. Questionable, and they’re forced back over their line. Fiji have a scrum five metres short but Ormaechaea pinches it again. He tries an offload but Nadolo, with the try-line beckoning, knocks on when trying to intercept.
35 mins: A series of messes. The lineout was poor, then Matadigo knocks on. It’s a scrum, Uruguay put in but Fiji overpower their opposition and Goneva produces a lovely kick through … Nadolo can’t get down to it though.
34 mins: Volavola booms us back underway before a garryowen from Duran. After a few big boots from the respective full-backs Nadolo finds touch with one of his own.
33 mins: And now they have a penalty after Zerbino was taken in the air by Nakarawa. It’s Ormaechea taking the shot at goal – I must confess it was also he that scored Uruguay’s conversion, not Duran – but that was woeful. It missed to the right by a mile.
31 mins: Duran clears his lines but doesn’t find touch and it allows Nadolo to get up a head of steam. Perhaps he had too long to think about it but it didn’t really go to plan and Uruguay’s captain Vilaseca forces the turnover. Uruguay have a lineout.
30 mins: A powerful run from Goneva allows Kenatale to find Tikoirotuma popping up on the right. He offloads to Nadolo, although it looked forward, but Nadolo runs out of room so it’s a Uruguay lineout.
29 mins: Tikoirotuma takes the restart and Kenatale finds a great touch with the clearance. Uruguay, you get the feeling, would like half-time.
Converted try! Fiji 19-10 Uruguay (Penalty and Nadolo)
28 mins: This looks ominous for Uruguay … FIji get the shove on … and it’s another penalty try. That was inevitable. Nadolo flicks the conversion over.
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26 mins: Kenatale tries to take it quickly but from the wrong place so Fiji opt for the scrum.
25 mins: Volavola again finds touch and the Fiji lineout is just seven metres out. The ball is worked to the left, Nadolo tries to run through five or six defenders, he almost manages it but not quite but Uruguay are pinged in front of the posts for offside.
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24 mins: Messy lineout but Fiji still have it and Doyle is playing advantage. Goneva gets his hands on the ball but he’s smashed by Prada. No advantage there so it’s back for the penalty.
23 mins: Penalty to Fiji, Corral again the offender. It’s been a difficult first half for him so far. Volavola finds touch but not as much distance as he’d have liked. We’re on the 10m line.
22 mins: So Uruguay have it in the Fiji half but a big hit on Corral sees the loosehead drop the ball so we’ll have another scrum. There was an overlap there so Uruguay will feel a touch frustrated.
21 mins: Doyle not happy so we’re going to reset here. The Fiji scrum really has been a surprise of this tournament and they’ve dominated that one, but Ormaechea dives in and pinches it.
20 mins: Duran almost finds touch with what would have been an excellent kick but he gets it back and decides to run this time. Uruguay up over half way but they’ve lost that little bit of momentum. Fiji kept the maul up and have the put in.
19 mins: Uruguay gather the restart but Ormaechea’s box-kick is charged down by Matadigo. It’s a Uruguay lineout deep in their own half. Ormaechea’s box-kick is better this time and it’s a Fiji lineout near half way. This is much better from Uruguay.
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Conversion! Fiji 12-10 Uruguay (Duran)
18 mins: Duran makes no mistake and Uruguay are back to within two.
Try! Fiji 12-8 Uruguay (Arboleya)
17 mins: Uruguay maul here and Ormaechea goes down the blindside. Uruguay into the Fiji 22 now. Ormaechea pops inside to Arboleya who bursts over near the posts. What a finish from the hooker. Uruguay are going bananas! That’s their first World Cup try for 12 years!
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16 mins: Hmm. That was a bit naughty. Botia hits Mieres at the restart but Mieres was still in the way. Doyle’s showing a bit of leniency though, just a penalty to Uruguay and Ormaechea, back from the bin, booms it downfield.
Penalty! Fiji 12-3 Uruguay (Duran)
15 mins: And it’s good. Uruguay are up and running.
14 mins: Beer takes the lineout and Uruguay move the ball around until Mieres, the full-back, slips. Doyle was playing advantage though, Fijian misdemeanour at the maul the formed from the lineout, and Duran will go for the posts …
13 mins: Prada with a good tackle on Volavola as Fiji go through the hands and Gaminara, Uruguay’s diminutive blindside, forces the penalty allowing his side a bit of respite.
12 mins: Penalty to Fiji, this time the loosehead Corral at fault. Volavola goes for touch again. Fairly ruthless stuff from Fiji this.
11 mins: Things not going well for Uruguay. Duran finds touch with the restart and Tikoirotuma tries to take the lineout quickly – but Volavola takes it too close to him. Scrum to Uruguay, that was a let-off
10 mins: Nadolo tugs the conversion from the right touchline.
Try! Fiji 12-0 Uruguay (Kenatale)
8 mins: An almost immediate penalty, the tighthead Sagario pinged for not binding, and Fiji choose another scrum. And it’s the second try of the night. Uruguay were not defending the blindside at all there and the scrum-half Kenatale nips in on the right-hand side. Duran went too high with the despairing tackle …
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7 mins: Fiji claim it but Uruguay force the turnover after refusing to compete. Scrum time. First of the night.
6 mins: Volavola finds touch and Fiji gather the lineout. They’re approaching the 22 and it’s another penalty to Fiji, Uruguay’s Gaminara was offside. Fiji opt for another lineout.
5 mins: Fiji gather the restart and clear to touch, not quite up to halfway. Uruguay gather the lineout and get a maul going of their own. Prada has a carry, as does the No8 Nieto, but they’re not really getting anywhere and Qera forces the penalty.
Conversion! Fiji 7-0 Uruguay (Nadolo)
4 mins: Nadolo can’t miss from in front of the posts, and doesn’t …
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Try! Fiji 5-0 Uruguay (Penalty)
Doyle, after consultation with the TMO, awards the try to Mr Penalty and sends Ormaechea to the bin for his troubles. Ormaechea looks close to tears …
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3 mins: Fiji can’t get the driving maul going this time and they’re opting to go short from the rucks – but there’s the first try, scored by the inside-centre Botia. He owes plenty to Glasgow’s Nakarawa who provided one of those wonderful offloads of his. Wait, Botia has dropped the ball before grounding it! But it should be a penalty try because the tackle from Ormaechea was lacking in an use of arms … Doyle has gone up stairs …
2 mins: Fiji get the driving maul going and a penalty with Qera is dragged down. JP Doyle plays advantage but there isn’t any so we’ll go back for the infringement. Volavola goes for the corner and gets a cheer for doing so.
Peep!
1 min: Volavola gets us underway, it hangs high but Uruguay’s Prada takes it and Ormaechea, one of their few professionals, finds touch with the box-kick. Solid start from Uruguay.
The Fijian haka now. Far better than the rest in my eyes. I’m far from convinced about the All Blacks’ arrow formation. Spread it out like this one I say, anywho, we’re up and running in a moment …
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Anthems alert! Players are out, it even looks like the rain has stopped. Fiji’s anthem first … and it’s belted out. No tears from Nadolo this time, just a cheeky wink to the camera. You get the feeling he’s in the mood.
Uruguay’s now. What they lack in rugby talent they make up in this department. Few better anthems at this World Cup.
Thankfully not a problem I will encounter …
Know I may need my Twitter tin hat again later, but I promise Nemani's surname is pronounced "Nandolo". Ask if you ever bump into him.
— Nick Mullins (@andNickMullins) October 6, 2015
Those teams for you once again, just in case you missed them earlier.
Almost time for #FJIvURU, #URU make 6⃣ changes & #FJI have selected their oldest team at a RWC for 12 years. KO 20:00 pic.twitter.com/9psG2E5Zkj
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 6, 2015
Kick-off is not far away so here are a couple of things to look out for:
- Nemani Nadolo steamrollering his way to the try line.
- Fiji fly-half Ben Volavola dazzling and frustrating in equal measure.
- The absence of any bulk in the Uruguay side.
- Anyone, just anyone, scoring a try for Uruguay.
It’s tipping it down in Milton Keynes Peter, who’d have thought it?
@gerard_meagher What's the weather like in Milton Keynes?
— Peter Kingston (@KingstonPeter85) October 6, 2015
Here’s a match report on Romania’s comeback against Canada for your perusal …
We’ve been shunted on to ITV4 tonight but we won’t let that hold us back, half an hour until kick-off in what Craig Doyle has just called ‘a big game’. So there you go …
I have reliable information , Sky sources tell me Twitter tells me that Uruguay are not just looking for their first try of this World Cup, they are in fact going in search of their first World Cup try for 12 years, scored by their current coach, Pablo Lemoine.
They are without the injured Felipe Berchesi, their sole points scorer of the tournament, but never fear because Alejo Duran is taking his place at fly-half. “It is not going to make a change to our game plan,” captain Santiago Vilaseca said. “He knows every movement and every play. He is a good leader and he has played his whole career as a fly-half. We are very secure with Alejo and our bench.”
As thrilling as Romania’s comeback against Canada was … Oakstraordinary?!?!?
OAKSTRAORDINARY: Congratulations #ROM, a first win at #RWC2015 and the biggest ever comeback in RWC history! http://t.co/QF1pAv5vPU
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 6, 2015
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Let’s take a moment to remind ourselves of Nadolo’s talents shall we?
Team news!
As promised, here are your line-ups for this evening’s encounter. Fiji have made five changes from the defeat to Wales with the 20st wing Nemani Nadolo returning from a one-match suspension, but they are still without the soon-to-be Bath scrum-half Nikola Matawalu so Nemia Kentale keeps his place. Uruguay make six changes – four in the forwards – from the side that lost to Australia.
Fiji: Kini Murimurivalu; Asaeli Tikoirotuma, Vereniki Goneva, Lepani Botia, Nemani Nadolo; Ben Volavola, Nemia Kenatale; Campese Ma’afu, Sunia Koto, Leroy Atalifo, Apisalome Ratuniyarawa, Leone Nakarawa, Dominiko Waqaniburotu, Akapusi Qera (capt), Sakiusa Matadigo. Replacements: Viliame Veikoso, Peni Ravai, Taniela Koroi, Tevita Cavubati, Netani Talei, Henry Seniloli, Josh Matavesi, Timoci Nagusa.
Uruguay: Gaston Mieres; Santiago Gibernau, Joaquin Prada, Andres Vilaseca, Rodrigo Silva; Alejo Duran, Agustin Ormaechea; Alejo Corral, Carlos Arboleya, Mario Sagario, Santiago Vilaseca (capt), Jorge Zerbino, Juan Manuel Gaminara, Matias Beer, Alejandro Nieto. Replacements German Kessler, Oscar Duran, Mateo Sanguinetti, Mathias Palomeque, Franco Lamanna, Juan De Freitas, Jeronimo Etcheverry, Francisco Bulanti.
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Preamble
Hello! If you think Pool A is done and dusted then think again. England may be out, Australia and Wales through but a number questions need to be answered - most relevantly, will Uruguay score a try? This is their best chance, although they face an England side licking their wounds on Saturday, but they will sure find a Fiji side intent on chalking up a win to show for their magnificent efforts so far.
Indeed, if you think England have been hard done by in the pool of death, spare a thought for Fiji. They would surely have been knocking on the door of qualifying in any other pool but have nil points at present. They will become the second side to complete their campaign, after Canada earlier, and will be desperate to bow out on a high and hopefully showing their full array of skills in the process. And where better to do so than Milton Keynes?
These sides have met only once before - or once where caps were handed out - Fiji prevailing 39-24 in 1999 in Italy. Team news coming up shortly, let’s get it on …
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