Well, that was eventful, and ultimately a huge victory for Wales. Had it not been for a Semi Radradra knock-on at the death, might it have been different?
Thanks for reading and emailing. See you soon for more …
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Dan Biggar has a chat with ITV and is asked about Liam Williams kicking the ball out on the full in the last minute: “He just said now, he looked up at the big screen, I put my hands on my head, in a towel, to try and hide my frustration.
“Look, we always seem to make it hard for ourselves, but what we make up for with effort and courage and determination is just huge for this team. The result is the only thing that matters.
“[The Adams tackle was] Huge. Huge moment for us. It means a lot. Huge moment. Everything about it. Technically brilliant. And it was a huge moment for us. There was lots of big moments for us but that was right up there.”
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“I think the penalty try rule needs to be made clearer,” says James. “Three penalties inside 10 metres from the line and a penalty try should be awarded, with a player sent to the bin. Even if these infringements are five or 50 minutes apart. Too often do these periods of play result in teams hurling themselves offside, holding on to slow the ball down, ie committing professional fouls, which is not fair. Fiji were robbed.”
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Michael Aylwin’s report from Bordeaux is right here:
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There are some strong opinions on that refereeing and officiating display:
“Just need to stats on how many infringements Wales committed in their 22 and didn’t get a yellow. The referee was the difference today,” emails Ben.
“Handed on a platter to Wales by the referee, that. No balance, no logic, atrocious,” says Henry.
“How is it possible Wales failed to get a man binned for the repeated cynical penalties,” says Ed. “Also really losing faith in the game due to the inconsistencies in officiating.”
“Easy to say Wales were lucky with refereeing but in first half, three Fiji players dived off the ground in defence and no yellow card,” says Timothy. “Also a couple of dodgy penalties against Wales mid-game. Seems there is a bit of ‘we [England] lost to Fiji so Wales couldn’t have beaten them, could they?’ narrative here.”
I am sure it’s not only England fans that are complaining about that refereeing, in truth.
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“Delighted with the win. I’m a bit frustrated about the last 15 minutess or so. We’ll have to have a thorough review into that. We just made some … I’ll use the word dumb decisions in terms of discipline and penalties when we were in control of the game.
“There will be a lot of learnings. The guys put a real shift in … you keep your discipline, you squeeze [when you’re in control] … that for me is the biggest disappointment.
“It’s massive [the result]. The time we’ve had as a squad has been invaluable.
“After half time we looks comfortable in territory and possession. They can punish you, but we’ve come through it.”
“What a wonderful advert for this World Cup,” emails Andrew Davies. “Massive positives for both teams. Gritty defence against some fairly hefty lads plus a rock-solid lineout for Wales.
“Fiji just kept coming again and again in spite of some adverse decisions/vissicitudes. Both teams came across as massively fit in spite of the heat. Yes, broken, fragmented but free-flowing rugby, the ideal game for the interested neutral I would think.
“In spite of the pundits’ predictions, I can’t see either team need fear any other members of this group on tonight’s form. Australia, be afraid. Be VERY afraid.”
“I thought it was a great game,” says the Wales captain Jac Morgan. “We dug in deep in that first half. Our discipline let us down at times … but full credit to Fiji, they put a lot of pressure on us with the ball in hand.
“We stuck together. Keep on coming, keep defending, work hard for each other. That’s what we did. We just had the mentality of never giving up, working hard for each other … we’ve been through a couple of hard training camps, and when the going got tough, the boys really stuck at it.”
The impartial ITV pundit panel of Jamie Roberts, Gareth Thomas and Sam Warburton are asked if Wales got lucky with the refereeing.
To his credit, Thomas admits that they certainly did.
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Wales carried for 378 metres in attack, Fiji for 617. That shows how much commitment Fiji showed to running with the ball. But they brought plenty more than that.
Wales made 241 tackles. Fiji made 70: 32 missed for Wales, 23 for Fiji.
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That puts Australia and Wales top of Pool C together on five points each. Fiji have two points, having won a try bonus and losing bonus point.
That was a special game of rugby. There will be some very sore bodies in the Wales camp tomorrow, but they gave as good as they got. Fiji were superb – and they arguably have some valid complaints about some of the treatment they got from the referee, Matthew Carley.
All the conditioning work that Gatland is famous for really paid off there. It was a gargantuan physical effort to keep Fiji at bay for much of that match. That is the level you need to be at to win these matches.
Full time! Wales 32-26 Fiji
Oh my word. Fiji put together 10-plus phases of wonderful attacking, wonderful continuity, skilful hands, powerful carries. They keep the ball moving deep into the Wales 22. Botia has the ball in space on the right, and support outside, but he chooses to keep it and is tackled five metres out.
Massive defensive effort by Wales. Fiji spin the ball back right to left, and Radradra is lurking in plenty of space on the wing … the inside centre tries to gather a bouncing pass, with the try-line beckoning, and he knocks it on! Rees-Zammit gleefully hacks the loose ball into touch, and that’s full time! Wales win! So, so dramatic.
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80 min: Deep into the red! But Fiji have the ball in the Wales 22! This is huge!
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79 min: Here come Fiji again …
Try! 78 min: Wales 32-26 Fiji (Doge)
Is there time? The conversion is missed by Tela, so it’s still a six-point game, but a converted try does it for Fiji if they can get down there.
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78 min: Wales have the bonus point, and they lead by 11 points. So it’s looking good for Gatland’s men … but wait!
77 min: It’s no try! And it’s a penalty for a double movement! Ravai, the man who touched it down, looks unhappy with the decision. That looks a bit unfair on Fiji, doesn’t it? The TMO told the referee to stick with his decision – try – but Carley wanted another look. Anyway … Fiji can try again but they are running out of time.
76 min: Fiji are not lying down! They surge down the right with some sensational handling … it looks like it’s a try for … I’m not sure who. But anyway, on-field decision is try.
74 min: Tagitagivalu is back from the bin. Fiji miss touch with a potentially crucial kick aimed for the corner … but can they make the most of a brief one-man advantage?
Try! 72 min: Wales 32-21 Fiji (Tuisova)
The Racing 92 powerhouse runs an angled line with Wales under huge pressure, batters through a couple of bodies, and touches down. The extras are added by the fly-half Tela. Can Fiji force their way back? Wales are so slow to move up to halfway following the conversion, the referee stops the clock. Which is only fair.
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70 min: Fiji win a penalty as they rumble a scrum forward deep into the Welsh 22. It must be said, Wales were fortunate not to have a man sent to the bin when Fiji were camped on their line, but then Tagitagivalu was yellow-carded instantly down at the other end. Harsh?
Yellow card for Wales! 68 min: Domachowski
He’s only just come on, but he’s too keen to compete in a ruck, and that’s 10 minutes in the bin for the replacement prop.
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Try! 66 min: Wales 32-14 Fiji (Dee)
The field position Wales gained from Biggar’s brilliant 50:22 eventually allows Dee to shove over from a well-executed driving maul! Biggar converts. That’s a big, big swing in this match in the last five minutes.
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Yellow card for Fiji! Tagitagivalu
Fiji down to 14. Tagitagivalu goes to the sin bin for dragging down a maul.
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62 min: Reffell puts in a solid, solid hit on an onrushing Ravai. There is a Fiji knock on, and then a brilliant clearing kick by Biggar, a 50:22, puts Wales on the front foot! Rees-Zammit tries a quick lineout but the referee pulls him back.
Domachowski, Lewis, Dyer all on for Wales now.
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61 min: North intercepts an attempted offload five metres out. The referee wants to speak to the Wales captain, Morgan. A yellow card for persistent infringements? No. It’s just a warning. Fiji crash into contact again after yet another penalty.
Botia tries to force his way over but he knocks the ball on in contact. The referee wants a TMO check, but Botia shakes his head, and tells the referee not to bother, because he knocked it on. Why don’t more players do that? Honesty is the best policy.
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60 min: A try here for Fiji – they are still camped in the Wales 22 – and we have a thrilling final quarter ahead. Actually, we do anyway. Wales lead by 11.
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59 min: Wales are under huge pressure. Fiji are massing bodies in their 22. Dee, who has come off the bench, is penalised for offside. Fiji tap and go. Wales keep them out … It’s a scrum now for Fiji five metres out. Liam Williams is pictured jumping on Radradra’s back?! Which is weird. Williams is smiling, Radradra … isn’t.
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58 min: Williams, the replacement scrum-half, skews a box kick from behind a ruck. As a result, Wales are pinged for offside and Fiji can kick a penalty for the corner. Botia comes on for Fiji, Tommy Reffell on for Wales, as well as Dafydd Jenkins.
54 min: Changes for Fiji too. Tuisova comes on, Habosi off. Watch out for the massive figure of Tuisova … Ravi also on for Mawi, the prop.
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53 min: Biggar hoists a big up-and-under deep into the Fiji 22. Droasese does incredibly well to claim it, then offloads to Ravutaumada who tries to kick ahead into space. Gareth Davies, who initially passed his HIA, has now gone off for Williams in a permanent switch.
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49 min: Crunch! Ravutaumada is running at pace down the Fiji right. Adams, scorer of the first try, meets him head-on and batters the wing him back in the tackle, managing to half-pull his opponent’s shorts down in one smooth movement. What a hit. The Wales players, on the pitch and off, celebrate it wildly. There is a shot of Gatland on the TV, and I think he enjoyed that one too.
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Try! 47 min: Wales 25-14 Fiji (Rees-Zammit)
This time he’s over! Wales break down the left with Tompkins, Williams and Adams all involved. Tompkins makes a fine break into the 22 … then Morgan, the captain and No 7, sees space on the opposite side of the pitch, and puts in a brilliant cross-kick! There is a hand on it from Habosi, but he can’t gather it, and Rees-Zammit snaffles the loose ball and dives over the line! That’s a cracking score, all round, and Wales are executing superbly well despite the pressure they are being put under by this physical Fiji outfit. Biggar adds the extras.
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45 min: And there he is! Lovely, smooth lineout ball for Wales thanks to a fine throw to the back from Elias. It culminates in Liam Williams fizzing a pass out to Rees-Zammit, who has space on the right wing. He jinks inside and has a sniff of the line, but Habosi recovers in time to make a stunning covering tackle from behind the flying Welshman. And then Fiji turn it over. That was good stuff from Wales, though.
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42 min: Tompkins is wrapped up by Nayacalevu in midfield and slammed into the Bordeaux turf. He looks a bit dazed. Which, to be honest, is entirely understandable.
It would be nice to see Rees-Zammit have a chance to run with the ball in hand, wouldn’t it?
41 min: Biggar starts the penalty kick outside the right-hand post. He’s trying to draw it back in, but it doesn’t come back enough, and that’s a very kickable three points missed. It remains 18-14 to Wales.
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Second half kick-off!
Dan Biggar, who was ranting and raving as he walked off for half time, gets the second half under way. Fiji are penalised in the first phase of play of the second half. Biggar has a kick from just outside the 22.
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Match reports from today:
Half time! Wales 18-14 Fiji
That first half had everything we’d hoped for, and more. The match is in the balance, and we’ve seen some fine stuff from both teams.
Here’s a touch of half-time reading courtesy of Nick Evans:
39 min: Fiji kick a penalty for the corner from halfway. Matavesi throws to the back, and Fiji roll a well-coordinated maul into the Welsh 22. Radradra smashes into contact again. Wales soak up the pressure. Radradra goes again and is stopped by Liam Williams. The physicality of these Fijian carries is crazy. But only to be expected …
37 min: The scrum-half Gareth Davies jogs off for an HIA after that high tackle. Tomos Williams comes on.
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35 min: Mata gathers the ball after the restart, and sprints into a couple of Welsh defenders with utter commitment and no little power and pace. That’s a shuddering impact.
It gives Fiji a bit of go-forward, and Tuisue juggles the ball and tries to offload … Gareth Davies nabs the ball from Tuisue, and he is grabbed from behind, and high, by Nayacalevu. The TMO has a look and it’s a penalty to Wales.
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34 min: On replay, Tagi is shown to have lost the ball forward. No try. However, the TMO is having a look at a potential no-arms tackle by Elias. They decide it’s all OK, and it’s a goal-line dropout for Wales. A let-off for Gatland’s men.
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31 min: Sure enough, Fiji coming roaring back. Lomani passes off his left hand after a scrum, finding Radradra who is shifting at some pace into contact. Radradra is met by an upright tackle by Biggar. Fiji keep the attack moving with some impressive continuity and handling.
Then they get a penalty, which they kick for touch, and they can have another go at putting the ball through the hands after winning the lineout. Wales are fanned out in a defensive line just in front of their try-line … Tagi dives acrobatically for the line, from about a yard out and despite the attention of Rowlands, and the referee thinks it’s a try, but wants to check the grounding!
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Try! 28 min: Wales 18-14 Fiji (North)
After a series of pick-and-goes, trying to wear Fiji down with crushing ball carries in their 22, Wales decide to let their backs have a go. It turns out to be a good decision too, when the inside centre Tompkins produces another brilliant offload for North, who is running an unstoppable line under the posts. Tompkins is hammered back by two Fijiians a fraction of a second after giving the pass to North … but it’s try-time regardless. Biggar converts, and Wales are back in the lead. Is a classic brewing here? It has all the ingredients.
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26 min: Slick lineout ball for Wales. Elias, the hooker, tries to power over from short range but is repelled by some committed defence from Fiji. Wales keep it alive though and continue to move through phases, virtually under the posts. Mata tries to dive into the ruck and get his hands on the ball. “No!” shouts the referee. And it’s already a penalty for offside against Fiji. The resulting penalty is kicked for the corner. Can a bit of “Warrenball” get a try for Wales here?
24 min: Wales attack down the right. There’s a chance for Rees-Zammit to run, or at least they would be, if Liam Williams’ pass intended for him wasn’t so poor. Mind you, on replay, it’s a no-arms tackle by Habosi that led to the wayward pass. That’s a penaly and Biggar can kick for the corner …
Penalty! 23 min: Wales 11-14 Fiji (Biggar)
That’s a handy nerve-settler for Wales after the concession of two tries in double-quick time. And ITV tell us it makes Biggar Wales’s leading scorer in World Cups. It’s a three-point game.
21 min: Solid scrum by Wales. Gareth Davies makes a decoy run around the scrum, as Faletau grabs the ball and passes to the waiting back division on the other side. Wales end up winning a very kickable penalty in front of the sticks and Biggar will have a crack at it.
20 min: Time for a water break … and now Welsh put-in at a scrum in their own half.
Try! 16 min: Wales 8-14 Fiji (Tagitagivalu)
Oh, that is special! Again it’s Nayacalevu who makes an initial break in midfield, crashing into contact and nearly wriggling clear. He has the Welsh defence scrambling backwards, and then offloads in contact to Radradra, who bursts down the middle into the 22.
Wales have defenders on hand, and it needs a good decision from Radradra … he knows exactly where the space is, and he gives it to Tagitagivalu to his right, and the No 7 sprints to the line and flops over! Lomani converts.
The Fiji fans are going wild. And why not? They are so tough to defend against when they are in this mood. It was a very good start for Wales but they’re on the back foot now.
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Try! 13 min: Wales 8-7 Fiji (Nayacalevu)
That is what they can do. Nayacalevu mops up a bouncing ball after an errant pass from his fly-half, and he smashes through an attempted tackle by Dan Biggar, with Wainwright also there, trying and failing to make a tackle. After that, the defensive cover is nowhere for Wales, and Nayacalevu can run over the try-line unopposed and dive to the turf for their opening score. Just awesome power and opportunism. Lomani converts.
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12 min: Wales have ball in hand again. They try to run it from inside their 22. Williams gives a pass to Adams, hugging the touchline, but the wing puts a foot in touch, and it will be Fiji’s lineout.
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10 min: North crashes into contact in the Wales half but he is a bit isolated and Fiji win a penalty of their own. Biggar has a rant at his teammates for the concession. It’s kickable for Tela, and he strikes it well enough, but it drifts wide of the right post, and the Pacific Islanders are still to get off the mark.
Try! 6 min: Wales 8-0 Fiji (Adams)
It’s that man again! Josh Adams, who notched a hat-trick against Fiji in 2019, is over in the corner. It all stems from a lovely line by North in midfield, who steams through the defensive line thanks to a perfectly-timed pop pass by his centre partner, Tompkins. North passes to the scrum-half, Gareth Davies, who has sight of the try-line … he is tackled, but the Fijian defensive cover is all over the place. Wales have an advantage, and they take it, when Tompkins has another dart and it sets up Adams to jink inside the last defender and touch down. Brilliant try, brilliant start for Wales. Biggar misses the conversion.
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5 min: The lineout is solid from Fiji, and Wales are under plenty of pressure, lining up in defence on their try-line, or just in front of it … But Eroni Mawi, the prop, is soon penalised for playing the ball on the floor. Biggar can relieve pressure on Wales with a clearing kick.
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4 min: Fiji demonstrate their intent to run the ball on their next possession. They spin the ball left to right through the hands around halfway. Wales are penalised for not rolling away. Tela kicks for the corner, and nearly overcooks it, but it’s a perfect touch-finder in the end … a great platform for Fiji to attack from.
Penalty! 2 min: Wales 3-0 Fiji
Ideal start for Wales. Tuisue has a run jnto contact with Fiji’s first possession. Rowlands, the Wales lock, makes a tackle and competes for the ball, burrowing away to try and grab it … the referee penalises Tuisue for holding on. Biggar can kick for the posts from inside the Fiji half. He nails it.
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First half kick-off!
After a short pause because “the TV is not ready”, says referee Matthew Carley, we are under way.
Fiji belt out their anthem, and now it’s time for the Cibi, the Fijian war dance. The Wales captain, Jac Morgan, stands motionless and expressionless as he watches his opponents lay down their challenge.
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It’s the Wales anthem first. Liam Williams, the “professional bomb defuser”, stands on the end of the line of Welsh players … the TV camera makes its way down the starting XV, as they belt out “Land of My Fathers”. Always a stirring moment.
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The teams are on the pitch in Bordeaux! We’re five minutes away from kick-off.
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Here’s the ITV analysis of the controversial Kriel hit, which may even have ramifications for England. Tom Curry is facing a disciplinary hearing for a similar incident for which he was sent off v Argentina:
"It's a red card" 🟥@johnbarc86 is adamant that Jesse Kriel should be seeing red for his contact on Jack Dempsey.#RWC2023 pic.twitter.com/LFBADtSt4J
— ITV Rugby (@ITVRugby) September 10, 2023
South Africa defeated Scotland earlier – but Gregor Townsend’s side put up quite a fight. And should the Boks have been down to 14 men after a high hit by Jesse Kriel? Robert Kitson was in Marseille to witness it:
Former Wales wing wizard Shane Williams is on pundit duty for ITV: “There’s a nervous energy [among Wales fans],” he says. “It’s a big game, it’s a must-win game. I’m even seeing Warren Gatland look a bit nervous, and that’s not usually the case.”
Of the captain, the openside Jac Morgan, Williams says: “He’s been one of the most consistent players in the URC [United Rugby Championship] for a couple of years. He’s not someone that does a lot of talking. He does his talking on the field, and that’s great. The talkers are players like Dan Biggar. There’s a lot of leaders out there.”
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Gatland says he wants the players to take charge … he’s channeling Brian Ashton of 2007!
Warren Gatland also had a chat with the media after naming his team. Here’s what he said:
“This is a quality Fijian side. All I can say is that we have prepared really well together these last few weeks. We’ve nailed down and we’ve spoken to the players and we are clear on how we want to attack and prepare defensively and what we want to try and do [with] a kick strategy and exit strategy. What we are trying to achieve in the breakdown.
“The players are focused, they are pretty clear. As coaches, I spoke to the coaches today about us not talking too much, not over-coaching and allowing the players to take responsibility for today and tomorrow. And I was pleased to see them do that. They look very clear in their own minds about what they want to achieve.”
On the closing gap at the top of world rugby: “What is brilliant about this World Cup is we’ve seen the tier two nations, in terms of we know in the past how Japan have performed, but (now) Fiji, Samoa and Tonga are all capable of causing upsets, which they have.”
Distinctly French-tinged Wales fans enter into the spirit in Bordeaux.
In the ever-changing flux that is the rugby world’s balance of power, an intriguing point of reference will be established in Bordeaux on Sunday. We are nearly 30 years into rugby union’s professional era. There are teams rising and falling all over the place, as the new economic, political and cultural energies play out. In this context, Wales against Fiji feels particularly poignant.
Warren Gatland, coaching at his fifth Rugby World Cup, has a chat with Gabriel Clarke on ITV: “We’ve worked incredibly hard. We’ve got a balance of a bit of youth and experience [in the squad] … the boys have trained well, so we’re looking forward to tonight. I would hope we’re as well conditioned as any team. I think temperatures will have cooled down by kick off … it [heat] shouldn’t be an issue for us.
“Fiji have players in Super Rugby, and who play in France. It’s certainly the best Fiji team I’ve seen. Their set-piece is good and they have a good kicking game … we just have to stick to our process. The ball’s going to be a bit slippery out there, with the humidity and sweat. We’ve got to play in the right areas of the field.”
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Teams
In the absence of Muntz, Teti Tela comes in at No 10 for Fiji. Levani Botia of La Rochelle and Josua Tuisova of Racing 92 return to the matchday squad – two seriously heavy-duty options off the bench for Raiwulai.
Gatland has gone with experience: the relentless back-rower Taulupe Faletau gets the nod at No 8 on his return from injury, Liam Williams lines up at full-back, and Josh Adams, the leading try-scorer at the Rugby World Cup in 2019, is on the wing. Dan Biggar will attempt to run things from fly-half with Nick Tompkins (No 12) and “Big” George North (No 13) teaming up in midfield.
Wales: Liam Williams, Rees-Zammit, North, Tompkins, Adams, Biggar, Gareth Davies, Gareth Thomas, Elias, Francis, Rowlands, Beard, Wainwright, Morgan (capt.), Faletau. Replacements: Dee, Domachowski, Lewis, Jenkins, Reffell, Tomos Williams, Costelow, Dyer.
Fiji: Droasese, Ravutaumada, Nayacalevu, Radradra, Habosi, Tela, Lomani, Mawi, Matavesi, Tagi, Nasilasila, Cirikidaveta, Tuisue, Tagitagivalu, Mata. Replacements: Ikanivere, Ravai, Doge, Mayanavanua, Botia, Kuruvoli, Tuisova, Maqala.
Referee: Matthew Carley
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Preamble
Wales v Fiji at the Rugby World Cup: it’s a fixture with some history. Fiji’s memorable victory in 2007 directly led to Warren Gatland arriving as Wales head coach the first time around, an appointment that worked out pretty well.
Whether or not Gatland’s second stay will be so fruitful remains to be seen: results since the New Zealander took over from his compatriot Wayne Pivac last year have been disappointing, and there was also a threatened player strike during the Six Nations. But that was then, and this is now: will the extra time Gatland has had with his players pre-tournament start to pay off in Bordeaux?
It probably needs to, because Fiji showed what they are capable of by defeating England at Twickenham a couple of weeks back. Recently losing their talented young fly-half, Caleb Muntz, for the tournament due to a knee injury was a significant blow but Simon Raiwalui’s improving side remain on an upward curve. Currently ranked seventh in the world, three places above Wales, a victory for the Pacific Islanders would not be the shock of old.
Kick-off: 8pm UK time.
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