Rugby League World Cup rolls on with Pool B action featuring Fiji v Italy where the Fijians can stake their claim for the runners up spot of Group B, or can the Italians make it two from two to start the Wold Cup and seal a surprise knockout stage place.
Our Group B Fiji v Italy 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.
Fiji 60 Italy 4 Match Summary
Fiji have won the crucial battle for best of the rest in Group B after a thumping win over Italy, who were extremely disappointing after their first round win. The game may have been on fake grass, but there was nothing fake about the Fijian performance, they were outstanding.
In a bright opening to the game, both sides had good attacks in their opposition halves, and it has to be said Italy were not being outplayed by their more experience opponents either.
After Italian fullback Luke Polselli spilled a relatively easy bomb, giving Fiji the perfect opportunity with a full set right on the Italian line. Fiji took full advantage, and it was their big name of Viliame Kikau who got the try. A short pass from Brandon Wakeham put Kikau into a half gap, and the big man did the rest reaching out as he was falling to the ground. The successful conversion gave Fiji a 6-0 lead after 10 minutes.
A second Italian error led to a second Fiji try two minutes later, as a loose ball was not dealt with by the Italians and Wes Naiqama was first on the scene and sped away from the half way line to score. The conversion made it 12-0, and Italy should be worried about the mistakes and the ease of the Fiji tries.
Not wanting to repeat ourselves, but a third try came for Fiji and this time is was on the back of an error of sorts from Italy, being bundled into touch on the kick returrn. Fiji pressed the Italian line, and hooker Penioni Tagituimua darted over from dummy half through some ordinary Italy defence. 18-0 at better than a point a minute. For the second consecutive game…..Italy needed to turn this around and fast.
Viliame Kikau had a double in the 23rd minute, as he powered through some poor Italian defence close to the line, with one Italian defender looking to call touch on the way through. Fiji were still on track for a point a minute at 24-0.
After that try Italy had some momentum. Their best attacking set/s in the first half came around the 30 minute mark, but they were unable take advantage. Fiji meanwhile looked like scoring every time they had the ball.
A few knocked down intercept attempts from Italy slowed the inevitable for a few minutes, but eventually Fiji scored again through Api Koroisau. The Penrith hooker, who was playing in the halves for this match, simply put on a bit of magical footwork to zig and zag his way to the line to score. The conversion was successful and Fiji led 30-0 just before half time.
“The greatest try in rugby league ever” according to the commentators, almost happened just as the half time siren wailed, but the Italians scrambled well to deny everyone a moment in history. For the record, it would have been a great try, not the great-est. But who could blame the commentators, this game was over at this stage, with just the margin of the victory to be sorted for Fiji.
HALF TIME – FIJI 30 ITALY 0
The Italians started the second half in promising style in attack, but it didn’t halt the points when Fiji got the ball, and they opened up their second half try scoring in the 46th minute. The set up to the try came from Vuate Karawalevu who made the break from within his own half but was eventually stopped, then Api Koroisau opened up the defence again from dummy half to dive over next to the posts.
Five minutes later and Fiji extended their lead when a Brandon Wakeham infield kick was allowed to bounce and the ball came down favourably for Ben Nakubuwai who fought his way through to score. The conversion made it 42-0 and Fiji were heading towards 70.
Another try came for Fiji and Brandon Wakeham’s boot was involved again. This time it went out wide, the ball was taken by Viliame Kikau and after a couple of sharp passes the ball found Mika Sivo on the wing, and he cut inside to score a try for Fiji. Api Koroisau took over the goal kicking and the success rate remained at 100%. The score was now 48-0, and anything looked likely.
Not long after Italy had scored their first points of the match. See, we told you anything looked likely. The try was simple enough for Italy to be honest, with Jack Campagnolo heading to the left and Luke Polselli throwing the final pass for Jack Maizen, ho did well to score in the corner. A silver lining, but the score was still 48-4.
Italy held their own for a while, but another error led to Fiji ball and that led to a Fiji try, and a second to Maika Sivo. The try set up by a neat back handed offload from Viliame Kikau, and Sivo did the rest with ease. Koroisau continued the 100% conversion strike rate going. It was 54-4 with 15 minutes to go.
Italy had a golden chance to end the game with a little more dignity, as they had a sustained period of attack on the Fijian line at the end of the game, but came up short. And that left Fiji just enough time to seal the game with one last try. The try was set up by a Kevin Naiqama 50 metres break, and Taniela Sadrugu was supporting on the inside to score. A third goal kicker for Fiji for the match – Henry Raiwalui – made no mistake, and Fiji kept their 100% goal kicking.
For Fiji it was the performance they needed, and one that will trouble some of the tier one nations in the knockouts, presuming they will beat Scotland. Their stars looked sharp, and they have plenty to offer for the rest of the tournament. Italy tried hard but were really poor in defence, and they are yet to play Australia.
Fiji 60 Italy 4 Match Score
FIJI 60
Tries: Viliame Kikau 8′ Kevin Naiqama 11′ Penioni Tagituimua 14′ Viliame Kikau 22′ Apisai Koroisau 36′ Penioni Tagituimua 45′ Ben Nakubuwai 50′ Maika Sivo 52′ Maika Sivo 62′ Taniela Sadrugu 78′
Goals: Brandon Wakeham 7/7 Apisai Koroisau 2/2 Henry Raiwalui 1/1
ITALY 4
Tries: Jake Maizen 55′
PLAYER OF THE MATCH
3 Pts Penioni Tagituimua
2 Pts Viliame Kikau
1 Pt Api Koroisau / Brandon Wakeham
POINT OF INTEREST
- Fiji’s pre match ritual may not have the same ferocious nature, but it is still our favourite one of all the Pacific nations. And repeating it at the end of the game with their opponents in a circle just kicks arse. And Australia’s NRL has canned the Pacific Tests for 2023? Clowns.
- Given the one sided nature of the first two game of week two, our Wooden Spooners team came up with a grand plan to change the format of the next Rugby League World Cup.
- Italy’s performance against Fiji was one of the most disappointing of the group stages thus far, they were barely in the game with only a handful of minutes of positive play early in each half.
Fiji v Italy Match Stats
Fiji v Italy Teams
FIJI
1 Sunia Turuva
2 Maika Sivo
4 Kevin Naiqama
19 Semi Valemei
24 Vuate Karawalevu
9 Apisai Koroisau
7 Brandon Wakeham
13 Tui Kamikamica
14 Penioni Tagituimua
17 King Vuniyayawa
12 Viliame Kikau
22 Siua Wong
3 Korbin Sims
10 Ben Nakubuwai
11 Taniela Sadrugu
16 Lamar Manuel-Liolevave
20 Henry Raiwalui
ITALY
1 Luke Polselli
2 Richard Lepori
3 Daniel Atkinson
4 Ethan Natoli
5 Jake Maizen
6 Jack Campagnolo
7 Radean Robinson
8 Alec Susino
9 Dean Parata
10 Anton Iaria
11 Ryan King
12 Brenden Santi
13 Nathan Brown
14 Joe Tramontana
15 Luca Moretti
19 Luke Hodge
20 Jack Colovatti
Fiji v Italy Pre Match Stats
- Italy have won more matches than Fiji since 2018 than Fiji. Fiji have faced tougher opponents though.
- Excluding England, and we guess you should now post Brexit, Fiji have won 6/7 matches in their history against European sides.
- Italy have never beaten a tier two Pacific team, in two matches, and one was against Fiji.
Fiji v Italy Preview
Quite the interesting match up this one. With one win in the bank, the Italians could book themselves into an unlikely knockout stage appearance with a win over Fiji here.
Despite the loss, Fiji weren’t completely outplayed by Australia in their first match and on paper should do the job against Italy given their inclusion of some quality NRL talent compared to the Italians.
One of the big questions is whether the Italians will be able to halt the attacking weapons that Fiji have in their backline. Italy did just only concede four points v Scotland and had the sixth best missed tackle count from week 1. Fiji will have to do more in attack though with just one line break v Australia.
Perhaps Fiji will have some defensive headaches themselves as Italy did make eight line breaks v Fiji and the Fijians do have the worst missed tackle count from the first round of game with 60.
The key will be whether the NRL backline plus Kikau fires, as the sides are reasonably well matched in the forwards, with the exception of the game breaking Api Koroisau.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Viliame Kikau is always a player to watch and he may well enjoy a bit more freedom he is likely to receive against Italy. Italy may well have kept Scotland to just four points, but the Scots also didn’t have the hulking menace out wide that is Kikau.
Sunia Turuva also showed some good signs at fullback against Australia, and will be a dangerous weapon at the back for Fiji.
Italy’s Daniel Atkinson is another player to watch. He currently leads the World Cup for run metres (256), is second for post contact metres (86) and has seven tackle breaks
PREDICTION
Fiji 20 Italy 24
