Rugby League World Cup continues with Pool B action featuring Australia v Fiji where the trophy holders and tournament favourite get a tough challenge first up against a Fiji side with some real star power.
Our Group B Australia v Fiji Match Centre has a preview, stats, team lists before the game and a summary of the match afterwards. More than you could ever need or want.
If you want more information on all the squads – follow this link here.
Australia 42 Fiji 8 Match Summary
Pool B opened with tournament favoruites Australia with their hardest game of the group stages facing Fiji. After England’s statement win a few hours earlier, Australia wouldn’t want to start too slowly.
It took just four minutes for the first try of match, but against the odds it was Fiji who scored first. Semi Valemei was the Fijian to claim the four points as he outran two Australian defenders from an excellent grubber kick from Sitiveni Moceidreke.
Australia had their chances early too, and spent a lot of the early minutes in the Fijian half, but like Samoa in the first game looked a little disjointed, and were being out enthused a touch by Fiji. You could say they looked as organised as their playing numbers…..
The Kangaroos eventually did score in the 16th minute and it was Jeremiah Nanai who continued his excellent 2022 season. The Cowboys forward charged onto the ball 10 metres out, running a nice angle back towards the posts and was too hard to handle for Fiji. The conversion gave the Aussies a 6-4 lead. Nanai was held up not long after looking for another try in similar fashion.
Then came a flash of pure speed from Josh Addo-Carr to light up the game for Australia. After just defending a dangerous set from Fiji, Latrell Mitchell eyed the Fox with space on the outside and threw him the ball, and Addo-Carr then out sprinted everyone to run 95 metres to score. Holmes’ conversion made the score 12-4 after 25 minutes.
Brandon Wakeham had a golden opportunity to narrow the gap at the half hour mark after sustained Fiji pressure, but a grubber that bounced up in his arms bounced outover the try line. What seems in sympathy, Cameron Munster let a similar chance go down the other end next set.
Australia did make amends a few minutes later as Angus Crichton scored, reaching out under Fijian pressure to slam the ball over the line. The assist came from 10 metres out through Cameron Munster. Holmes made no mistake with the conversion and with three minute to half time Australia led 18-4.
There were a few errors from both sides, as well as a lot of enthusiasm, and you felt that Australia were starting to click towards the end of the half.
HALF TIME – AUSTRALIA 18 FIJI 4
It didn’t take long for Australia to stamp their mark on the second half, four minutes in another blur of speed from Josh Addo-Carr saw him tear down the sideline from inside in his own half, he then found Cameron Munster in support who then found eventual try scorer Latrell Mitchell who powered to the line untouched.
Australia kept pressing without success after that first try to little success. During those opening ten minutes there was a sickening head clash between Viliame Kikau and Sunia Turuva from a short kick off.
After kicking a 40-20 that set up the attacking set, Harry Grant scored Australia’s next try. The hooker scooped up the ball from dummy half, and he scooted sideways until he found the right gap to bust through he he did to score. The easy conversion made it 30-4, and Australia were now in control.
A second head clash in the half saw Reuben Cotter leave the field, and he looked like he wouldn’t be back, and under the concussion rules will surely miss next match.
Fiji had their best attacking chances of the second half not long after, but were unable to trouble the Australian line.
Talking of troubling lines, James Tedesco crossed the Fijian line on the hour mark to increase the Kangaroos lead to 36-4 (after conversion). This was a simple display of speed and strength close to the line from the Australian captain.
Australia crossed again in the 68th minute, and again Harry Grant was involved again as he darted out of dummy half, made 10 metres then laid on a neat grubber kick who found the perfect chaser in Josh Addo-Carr to score. It was now 42-4 and Australia looked like they had plenty in them.
Fiji crossed for a second time with five minutes to go, livewire fullback Sunia Turuva scored after following a Brandon Wakeham grubber and used some soccer skills himself to round the Australian defender before placing the ball. Somehow the easy conversion was missed, costing this writer the chance of picking the exact result in our preview – we picked Australia to win by 42-10……
Australia weren’t England-good, but did enough against Fiji to start the tournament off well. But they will want to cement a line up to get combinations working soon. Fiji tried their best, and a similar effort will see them comfortably through to the knockout stage.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
3 Pts Harry Grant
2 Pts Angus Crichton
1 Pt James Tedesco
POINTS OF INTEREST
- The playing numbers were a big talking point pre tournament and after seeing them peculiar system in action during a game it is a still idea.
- You still have to wonder how Josh Addo-Carr didn’t make that NSW Side for State of Origin.
- Hopefully we get to see Nathan Cleary next match. Not that Daly Cherry-Evans did anything wrong, but Cleary is the man for the moment.
Australia v Fiji Stats
Australia v Fiji Teams
AUSTRALIA
1 James Tedesco
9 Josh Addo-Carr
8 Latrell Mitchell
4 Valentine Holmes
23 Murray Taulagi
7 Cameron Munster
2 Daly Cherry-Evans
18 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui
3 Ben Hunt
5 Jake Trbojevic
17 Angus Crichton
22 Jeremiah Nanai
11 Cameron Murray
20 Harry Grant
16 Reuben Cotter
13 Pat Carrigan
10 Jack Wighton
FIJI
1 Sunia Turuva
2 Mitieli Vulikijapani
3 Kevin Naiquama
4 Semi Valemei
5 Maika Sivo
6 Sitiveni Moceidreke
7 Brandon Wakeham
8 King Vunniyayawa
9 Api Koroisau
10 Tui Kamikamica
11 Viliame Kikau
12 Siua Wong
13 Lamar Manuel-Liolevave
14 Penioni Tagituimua
15 Jowasa Drodrolagi
16 Ben Nakubuwai
17 Taniela Sadrugu
18 Netane Masima
22 Kelma Tuilagi
Australia v Fiji Pre Match Stats
- Australia last lost a World Cup game to a non England/GB/NZ side in 1970 when they lost to France. It has been 23 straight wins since.
- Australia have outscored Fiji in their six clashes by 336-16.
- Fiji’s only win over Australia/NZ/England/GB was against NZ at the last World Cup 4-2.
Australia v Fiji Preview
The big game in the group stages of Group B, and the history doesn’t look good for Fiji. They are yet to beat Australia in six attempts, and as per our stats above, the points difference is over 300.
Fiji have a stronger squad these days compared to previous clashes, led by Viliame Kikau and some more NRL strength like Api Koroisau, but Fiji were plenty strong on paper in their match against the PNG Kumuls and were outplayed by the Kumuls. Little known Kyle Laybutt doing quite the job on Viliame Kikau.
For Australia, they may well be enjoying having a lower spotlight than usual this World Cup, with the emergence of the Pacific nations as genuine contenders, and the overseas location. They are still favourites, as they should be, and will no doubt win their opening match on their way to topping Group B.
The only downside to the Australian team is those stupid numbers on their back. Haven’t marketing teams learned about jerseys this season…..
PLAYERS TO WATCH
With so many to choose from for Australia, it’s hard to pick one, but we’ll go for Latrell Mitchell, because it will give an indication of what mood he is in for this World Cup. He is capable of making the tournament his own after falling just short with South Sydney.
For Fiji it has to be Sunia Turuva, who starred for Fiji against PNG despite his team losing. Hopefully he gets the fullback slot.
Australia v Fiji Prediction
Australia 42 Fiji 10
