Fiji's 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign saw them placed in Pool D. They started with a strong performance but lost to Australia 39-21. A shocking defeat to Uruguay 30-27 followed. They bounced back with a win against Georgia 45-10 but lost to Wales 29-17, finishing fourth in their pool and failing to advance.
A strong and impressive first half performance from the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians stunned the Wallabies this evening but it was not enough to earn them a victory as they went down 39-21 at Sapporo Dome in Japan.
Fiji led on the scoreboard for most of the match and even delivered a 14-12 lead at halftime.
Fiji had 68 percent of the possession in the first half.
A yellow card to centre Levani Botia in the 61st minute affected the outcome of the match.
There were impressive individual performances from the Flying Fijians across the park as players such as Peceli Yato, Josua Tuisova, Semi Radradra, Frank Lomani and Waisea Nayacalevu stood out.
The first points on the board by the Flying Fijians came from Flyhalf Ben Volavola through a penalty kick in the 4th minute.
Fiji’s first try was scored by Peceli Yato in the 7th minute.
Yato’s try was the result of great team work through open play as Josua Tuisova broke through the defence and kept the ball moving to Yato who managed to score in the corner.
The Wallabies first points on the board came from Captain Michael Hooper who scored in the 17th minute.
This was followed by two successful penalties by Volavola.
Wallabies wing, Reece Hodge scored their second try in the 35th minute.
Fiji opened the second half strongly as Waisea Nayacalevu scored a try in the 43rd minute.
Nayacalevu intercepted a pass and ran more than 50 metres to score under the posts.
This was then followed by four tries and one penalty for the Wallabies.
Wallabies centre and Vice Captain, Samu Kerevi and wing Marika Koroibete scored a try each.
Kerevi is the first Fijian born player to score a try against Fiji at the Rugby World Cup.
Wallabies hooker Tolu Latu scored two tries in the match.
He was also awarded man of the match.
The Flying Fijians have only beaten the Wallabies twice.
The first win was in 1952 where Fiji won 17 15 while the other was a 18 16 victory in 1954.
Flying Fijians Captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu says they cannot blame anyone for their loss and now need to move on and focus on their next game.
Coach John McKee says they made some simple mistakes in the game.
The Flying Fijians next match is against Uruguay at 5.15pm on Wednesday.
In other matches, France and Argentina face off at 7.15 tonight while the All Blacks and Springboks clash at 9.45 tonight.
Italy will play Namibia at 5.15pm tomorrow, Ireland and Scotland face off at 7.45pm tomorrow while England clash with Tonga at 10.15pm tomorrow.
| PLAY BY PLAY |
FIJI |
21-39 |
AUSTRALIA |
| TIME | ||
| Turnover to Fiji at the Wallabies 10m line. Ben Volavola kicks a beautiful penalty to put Fiji into the lead! | 3' | |
| Josua Tuisova runs through the defense and beautiful hands finds the ball moving to Peceli Yato who scores for FIJI!!!!!! Conversion unsuccessful. | 7' | |
| 17' | Michael Hooper gets the Wallabies onto the scoreboard. Conversion is good. | |
| Penalty to Fiji. Ben Volavola slots it through and takes Fiji a little higher up the scoreboard. | 22' | |
| Fiji's defense gets them a 22m scrum but at the cost of Peceli Yato being taken out for a head injury assessment. Mosese Voka comes in to take his place. | 25' | |
| Ben Volavola puts in another penalty that on TV looked like he missed for a moment | 30' | |
| 35' | Reece Hodge gets one in the corner after phase after phase of Wallaby forward play. Conversion misses. Fiji stays in the lead. | |
| 14-12 |
| TIME | ||
| Interception by Waisea Nayacalevu lets him run straight down the middle of the ground to get Fiji their first points of the second half. Conversion is good! | 43' | |
| 50' | Reece Hodge slots in his first penalty of the afternoon giving the Wallabies 3 more points on the board. | |
| 56' | Tolu Latu crosses the line after the Fijian defence could not stop the Wallabies maul. Conversion misses and Fiji keeps a narrow lead. | |
| Botia sent off with a yellow card | 61' | Fiji's defence against the maul lets them down yet again and Tolu Latu crosses over for another try. Conversion misses. |
| 68' | Samu Kerevi scores on for the Wallabies extending their lead. Conversion is good. | |
| Levani Botia comes back onto the ground after his yellow card | 70' | |
| 72' | Marika Koroibete gets one for himself. Conversion is good. |
| FULLTIME |
Handling errors, poor defence, and poor goal-kicking resulted in an embarrassing defeat for the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians as they were upset 30‑27 by Uruguay in their second pool match of the Rugby World Cup.
This is now one of the biggest upsets in Rugby World Cup history as Uruguay is ranked 19th in the world while Fiji is ranked 10th.
Uruguay scored three tries and converted three penalties compared to Fiji's five tries and one conversion.
Crucial try conversions which would have given Fiji the win were missed by kickers Josh Matavesi and Ben Volavola.
Uruguay won eight turnovers in the first half, twice as many as Fiji.
Fiji scored the first try in the match through hooker Mesulame Dolokoto.
This was followed by another try by Eroni Mawi which was Fiji's only converted try.
Fiji's third try was scored by Api Ratuniyarawa.
There were also two tries scored by replacement halfback Nikola Matawalu late in the second half but it wasn't enough for the win.
Fiji had 59 percent possession in the match.
Coach John McKee says Uruguay capitalized on Fiji’s mistakes.
The Flying Fijians meet Georgia next Thursday at 5.15 pm.
| PLAY BY PLAY |
Fiji |
Score:
|
Uruguay |
| TIME | ||
| Mesulame Dolokoto scores off of a faked maul at the opposition 5m line. Conversion misses. | '7 | |
| '14 | Santiago Arata gets one back for Uruguay and the conversion is good. Uruguay take the lead. | |
| Eroni Mawi practically dives over a maul at the opposition line and scores another Fiji! Conversion is good. Fiji retake the lead. | '18 | |
| '21 | Uruguay again able to find their way through the Fiji defense. Conversion is good and Uruguay take the lead yet again. | |
| '26 | Juan Manuel Cat runs down the wing to score yet another try for Uruguay, Conversion is good. | |
| '37 | Uruguay get a penalty and opt to kick. Penalty is successful. |
| HALFTIME 12-24 |
| TIME | ||
| Api Ratuniyarawa starts things off on a good note for the Fiji team and powers through the defensive line. Conversion by Josh Matavesi misses from right in front of the posts. | '48 | |
| '59 | After 15 phases of play, Uruguay force the penalty from Fiji and get themselves a penalty. Convert and extend their lead by 10 points. | |
| Nikola Matawalu does a little dance at the defensive one metre at the ruck and dots down another to bring Fiji within 5. Kicking responsibilities move to Volavola who was substituted in. Barely misses. | '66 | |
| '75 | Uruguay get a penalty conversion which puts them up by 8. Fiji need a converted try and more to win. | |
| Nikola Matawalu scores one last try for Fiji as a consolation. Conversion misses. | '80 |
| FULLTIME |
The Fiji Airways Flying Fijians have delivered a much needed 45-10 bonus point win to record their first 2019 Rugby World Cup win against Georgia at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Osaka Prefecture in Higashiosaka City in Japan tonight.
This is Fiji's first win in the Rugby World Cup after two straight defeats against Australia and Uruguay.
Fiji is now second in Pool D with 7 points while Wales leads with 9 points.
It is important to note that Australia plays Uruguay on Saturday in their third game.
The win also means Fiji is in contention for direct qualification for the 2023 Rugby World Cup.
Seven tries were scored by the Flying Fijians in the match.
Fiji stepped up when it came to the scrum matching the Georgians as Fiji won 19 set pieces and had a 100% success rate in the scrum.
Waisea Nayacalevu scored the first try in the match in the 19th minute.
The conversion from Ben Volavola was successful.
This was followed by a penalty from Georgia in the 34th minute.
The Flying Fijians led 7-3 at half time.
Fiji opened the second half strongly with a try each by Frank Lomani and Josua Tuisova.
Georgia then scored their only try in the match.
Semi Radradra scored a double in the second half and received the Man of the Match award.
Other tries were scored by Api Ratuniyarawa and Semi Kunatani.
The Flying Fijians final pool match is against Wales at 9.45pm next Wednesday.
| PLAY BY PLAY |
Flying Fijians |
45-10 |
Georgia |
| TIME | ||
| Waisea Nayacalevu scores the first try for Fiji !! | '19 | |
| Successful conversion from Ben Volavola | '20 | |
| '34 | Penalty Goal by Soso Matiashvili | |
|
Halftime 7-3 |
| TIME | ||
| It's a TRY for the 2nd half by Frank Lomani | '44 | |
| Unsuccessful conversion by Volavola | '45 | |
| TRY ! by Tuisova | ''50 | |
| '54 | Otari Giorgadze scores the 1st try of the 2nd half | |
| '55 | Conversion successful by Soso Matiashvili | |
| Semi Radradra scores! | '61 | |
| Conversion successful by Ben Volavola | '63 | |
| Try for Semi Kunatani | '68 | |
| Conversion Successful by Volavola | '69 | |
| Try by Api Ratuniyarawa | '71 | |
| Conversion successful by Volavola | '73 | |
| TRY ! by Semi Radradra | '75 | |
| CONVERSION SUCCESSFUL by Volavola | '77 | |
| FULLTIME |
A strong start from the Fiji Airways Flying Fijians was not enough as they went down 29-17 to Wales in their last pool match of the Rugby World Cup.
Fiji started off with two tries from Josua Tuisova and Kini Murimurivalu in the first eight minutes of the first half.
Wales answered with two converted tries to lead 14-10 at half time.
Semi Kunatani and Tevita Cavubati got a yellow card while Wales Ken Owens and James Davies also received the same card from referee Jerome Garces.
Wales came backfiring in the second half, scoring another two tries sealing their victory and a spot in the quarterfinals.
Semi Radradra was named the player of the match.
With this loss, Fiji remains in third place in their pool with 7 points, Australia is now in second with 11 points while Wales is in first place with 14 points.
In other results, Argentina defeated USA 47-17 and Scotland thrashed Russia 61-0.
Australia and Georgia face off at 10.15 pm this Friday.
| PLAY BY PLAY |
Flying Fijians |
17-29 |
Wales |
| TIME | ||
| KICK OFF ! | '1 | |
| Josua Tuisova scores the 1st try for Fiji !! | '3 | |
| Ben Volavola's Conversion unsuccessful | '4 | |
| it's a try from Kini Murimurivalu | '8 | |
| Ben Volavola's Conversion unsuccessful | '9 | |
| '17 | AdamsTry for Wales | |
| '18 | Conversion successful | |
| '30 | Try to put wales in the lead of Fiji | |
| '31 | Conversion Successful | |
| Halftime 10-14 |
| TIME | ||
| '40 | Wales Kicks off the 2nd half | |
| Penalty Try to Fiji putting Fiji in the lead | '50 | |
| Conversion successful | '51 | |
| '57 | Patchell R Scores Penalty for wales | |
| '60 | Try for Josh Adams | |
| '69 | Williams.L scores!! | |
| '70 | Williams L Conversion Goal | |
| FULLTIME |
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