Wales 11 Fiji 10A stoppage-time drop-goal by outhalf Nicky Robinson spared Wales the humiliation of becoming the first foundation union to lose to Fiji, but the supremely fortunate victory against modest opposition did not mask a disjointed and inept performance and last March's grand slam now seems a lifetime ago.
Wales were sporting the colours of their nemesis, the All Blacks, but any resemblance ended there.
They made 11 changes after last Saturday's capitulation to New Zealand and the reward was a first-half display totally lacking in cohesion, understanding and skill.
If ball-carriers did not slip on the surface made treacherous by Wednesday's exposure to the rain, passes were dropped, providing succour to Fiji's increasingly desperate defending.
The Fijians were prominent in the opening minutes, surprising Wales with a slick counter-attack, but the centre Julian Vulakoro missed three penalties. Robinson was no more successful than Vulakoro, fluffing two kicks.
In first-half injury-time and after a Wales foray came to grief, Fiji won a scrum in their own 25 and their captain Mosese Rauluni launched a counterattack.
The ball came to the lock forward Irefeimi Rawaqa 60 yards out and he left three defenders clutching air as, in the style of a sevens player, he galloped to the line to give his side a 7-0 lead at the interval.
The try galvanised Fiji and they took the game to Wales after the restart, showing how to handle under pressure, pass in contact and beat an opponent.
Kevin Morgan should have done better after finding himself in space but he ended up being shunted sideways, and after the former Cross Keys outhalf Seremaia Bai had missed a 35-yard penalty he dropped a goal left-footed to take his side's lead into double figures.
Wales eventually prevailed thanks to the pedantic Scottish referee Rob Dickson, who capped a poor night by sending the lock Isoa Domolailai to the sin-bin for killing the ball.
Wales scored a pushover try through Michael Owen from the resulting scrum, their first touchdown here in 20 hours of rugby, to add to a Robinson penalty.
WALES: Byrne, Morgan, Watkins, Parker, S. Williams, Robinson, Cooper, Yapp, R. Thomas, Horsman, Cockbain, Charteris, D. Jones, M. Williams, Owen. Replacements: Phillips for Horsman (73), Popham for Cockbain (40), Sidoli for M. Williams (40).
FIJI: Ligairi, Luveitasau, Ruivadra, Vulakoro, Bobo, Bai, Rauluni, Bale, Koto, Nagi, Rawaqa, Domolailai, Doviverata, Ratuva, Koyamaibole. Not Used: Gadolo, Matawalu, Leawere, Salabogi, Volavola, Vata, Ratuvoa.
Sin Bin: Domolailai (65).
Referee: Rob Dickson (SRFU).
