Nations Championship: Ireland 43 Fiji 15
It was ropy for a while, but in some respects Andy Farrell might not be too upset by that because thereafter Ireland found a way to subdue an initially much-improved Fiji.
From 12-7 down nearing the half-hour, and only 17-15 ahead at the halfway point, Ireland pulled clear with four unanswered tries, one of which was created principally by the rampaging James McNabney’s remarkably but sadly short-lived cameo before departing groggily.
The Fijians were always liable to inflict pain, and as so often happens in games with them, at times the game became as loose as a goose. Amid some bad officiating, Ireland lost control for about 15 or 20 minutes in the second period.
Some of Ireland’s early attacking shape was very good, and there was a brace of tries apiece for the wingers Rob Baloucoune and Tommy O’Brien.
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Also the scrum, importantly with the Boks bruisers coming to town, went very well while several key men are in prime form, among them Andrew Porter, Josh van der Flier and Nick Timoney, who looks like he belongs at this level.
Ryan Baird, athletic, skilful and energetic, made a huge contribution, Sam Prendergast will have his critics but he delivered some truly sublime moments and, roving inventively, Mack Hansen is back; all of which has sharpened Ireland’s attack, which again had plenty of varied kicking.
This was always likely to be a tricky assignment against underrated opponents and most importantly, McNabney apart, no one seemed to ship any knocks.
The player with the unhappiest memories of the night will be Jamie Osborne, who was forced off inside four minutes with an apparent injury to right pectoral area after scragging Fijian hooker Tevita Ikanivere in full flight. He was replaced by Stuart McCloskey, with Bundee Aki shifting to outside.
That apart, initially there were little signs of the difficulties which would be ahead for Ireland. Off a lineout maul and with a penalty advantage, Gibson-Park skipped to Prendergast who pulled the ball out the back for Baloucoune’s pace off his wing to create two-on-one on the edge for Hansen to put O’Brien over.
Ireland appeared to have doubled their lead after a 14-phase attack led to a scrum, from which Gibson-Park charged through Frank Lomani. But a TMO Mike Adamson adjudged he had lost control in grounding the ball when grappled around the neck by Lekima Tagitagivalu.
Instead, a Fijian catch-and-drive splintered the Irish pack and Peceli Yato charged down the line before Josua Tuisova took an unstoppable out-in line through Prendergast and Tadhg Beirne.
Ireland were suddenly having problems resourcing rucks, a clearout by Aki from Prendergast’s cleanout leading to Jiuta Wainiqolo gathering and stepping Hansen before offloading, slightly forward, for Yato to score.
The TMO, even more controversially, somehow decreed that Nick Timoney had not grounded the ball when everybody else could see the still images of him clearly doing so.
Perhaps galvanised, like the crowd, by that error, Prendergast went to the air off the goal-line restart, Hansen applied the aerial pressure and Gibson-Park reclaimed the loose ball. The ensuing attack ended with Prendergast floating a lovely pass for Baloucoune to finish, though he missed the kickable conversion.
Kelleher was integral to a reprise when charging deep into the Fijian 22 off an overthrow and along with Aki the hooker made further inroads before Gibson-Park and Prendergast each floated skip passes for Baloucoune to finish again.
Prendergast’s conversion hit the upright and the half ended with Beirne being harshly binned for not rolling away. Volavola trimmed Ireland’s lead to 17-15 with the last kick of the half.
With Aki joining the backrow and Baird moving into lock, the Irish scrum won a penalty which was kicked to the corner for Kelleher to peel blind off the maul, dummy to Gibson-Park and beat Lomani to score the bonus-point try.
Cue the introduction of McNabney. First he injected physicality into a big Irish defensive set, Gibson-Park forcing Fiji back with a tackle out wide. Then McNabney made a 50-metre gallop up the middle, and backed it up with another to almost make the line.
Alas a forearm to the head by replacement prop Inoke Ravuiwasa, who also landed on top of him, not only denied McNabney a try but led to him groggily being helped off for an HIA, not to return. Ravuiwasa was also binned and after Timoney, who’d made way for McNabney, was held up short from Sam Illo’s deft transfer, Porter finished from close-range.
Prendergast converted that try and again after further impact off the bench from Darragh Murray and Craic Casey, Prendergast grubbered with the outside of his boot to send the ball in an arc and even pop up for O’Brien to score his second. Gift-wrapped, with tussles on top.
As the exchanges became scrappy, a distracted crowd enjoyed a hell of a Mexican Wave while many made for the exits. But after Baird charged down a goal-line restart and claimed the ensuing lineout, Aki charged over the gain line and those that stayed were rewarded with a hell of a finish by Timoney. His performance at eight was one of the night’s positives.
Roll on the world champions.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 7 MINS: O’Brien try, Prendergast con 7-0; 18: Tuisova try 7-5; 22: Yato try, Volavola con 7-12; 29: Baloucoune try 12-12; 38: Baloucoune try 17-12; 40+2: Volavola con 17-15; Half-time 17-15; 45: Kelleher try 22-15; 53: Porter try, Prendergast con 29-15; 59: O’Brien try, Prendergast con 36-15; 76: Timoney try, Frawley con 43-15
IRELAND: M Hansen; R Baloucoune, J Osborne, B Aki, T O’Brien; S Prendergast, J Gibson-Park; A Porter, R Kelleher, T Furlong; J Ryan, T Beirne (capt); R Baird, J van der Flier, N Timoney. Replacements: S McCloskey for Osborne (3 mins), S Illo for Furlong, J McNabney for Timoney (both 49), Timoney for McNabney (53, HIA), D Murray for Ryan, C Casey for Gibson-Park (55), C Frawley for Prendergast, T O’Toole for Porter, T Stewart for Kelleher (all 60), Furlong for Illo (72).
Yellow card: Beirne (40+1 mins).
FIJI: P Loganimasi; S Ravutaumada, S Bituniyata, J Tuisova, J Wainiqolo; B Volavola, F Lomani; P Ravai, T Ikanivere, L Tagi; J Tamani, I Nasilasila; M Vocevoce, L Tagitagivalu, P Yato (capt). Replacements: K Salawa for Yato (25), I Balewairiki for Bituniyata, V Nairau for Ravai (both 51), E Canakaivata for Tagitagivalu, I Ravuiwasa for Tagi (both 52), Tagi for Canakaivata (55-63), C Muntz for Volavola, T Tamani for Lomani, Z Togiatama for Ikanivere (all 72).
Yellow card: Ravuiwasa (52 mins).
Referee: Angus Gardner (AUS).
