Autumn Nations Series: Ireland 52 Fiji 17
Judgment has to be kept in the context of a disappointing and ill-disciplined Fijian side but after that anticlimactic opening night against the All Blacks, this reshaped Irish team showed distinct signs of rediscovering more of themselves again.
The talented Fijians did score two tries as the game loosened up in the second period but they were strictly of the consolation variety, and the 18-7 penalty count against them, including two yellow cards, was ruthlessly punished by an Irish side evidently in the mood.
Ireland scored eight tries, many with training-ground precision from strike plays in the opposition 22, of which there was a ready supply, yet curiously Ireland were also a little profligate too, with a couple of tries ruled out, whileman of the match Bundee Aki was also held up once.
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With his 17 carries, 176 metres and try, at 34 Aki’s powers show no signs of diminishing, and alongside him Robbie Henshaw again looked uber fit and razor-sharp.
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They both benefited from the utterly smooth control of San Prendergast, who gave a masterful demonstration of his ability to take the ball to the line and to engineer wraps and pull backs to invariably pick out the right pass.
Prendergast must have been relieved to escape further censure than a yellow card after catching Kitione Salawa with a high shot on a day when the Fijians left plenty of imprints on Irish rib cages, not least on replacement fullback Ciaran Frawley, who took a fair amount of punishment.
But remained utterly unperturbed, as he did when he kicked a penalty dead and then another ball out on the full. Nothing seems to faze him.
Shortlisted for the World Player of the Year award, Caelan Doris was at his imposing best and Gus McCarthy had a very satisfying debut. The 21-year-old played the full 80 and augmented three try assists with a try of his own while the talented Cormac Izuchukwu had some nice moments. There were also two tries for the industrious Mack Hansen.
The only blemishes were injures for Jamie Osborne, who had started the game superbly, and Jacob Stockdale, who looked fit and sharp without the ball coming his way.
There was scarcely a hint of Storm Bert, who took a lengthy siesta, ensuring a deceptively mild and calm autumnal afternoon for rugby.
As with the All Blacks’ game, three anthems, the presidential greeting and the Fijian prematch ‘Cibi’ mad for a somewhat lengthy prematch preamble. The crowd counted down to kick-off and then waited for something to happen, Ireland happy to oblige.
Osborne started superbly with a few clean takes and one confident step and counter to link with Jacob Stockdale who backed up his chop with a tackle on Caleb Muntz helped by van der Flier’s chase.
When Osborne was tackled before landing by Josua Tuisova, Prendergast nailed his penalty from inside halfway to within six metres; something of a Prendergast calling card. Setting the tone of the day, Ireland struck clinically, faking a catch-and-drive as Gus McCarthy hit his namesake and took van der Flier’s feed to arc infield and have his first try-scoring assist when his nicely disguised pass inside was finished by the charging Doris.
Things might have panned out a little different when Prendergast’s yellow card for dipping his shoulder into the head of Kitione Salawa been upgraded to a red card.
In his absence, Fiji manipulated the 14-man Irish defence nicely when Muntz picked out Craig Casey on the edge to locate lock Mesake Vocevoce and Luke Tagi was well tackled by Cormac Izuchukwu, as was the supporting winger Jiuta Wainiqolo by Beirne when reaching out just short of the line.
Instead, a procession of penalties for Ireland and a big break by Henshaw through Waisale Nayacalevu off Aki’s short pass led to a clever trick play off a five-metre tap, as Gus McCarthy pulled the ball back for Doris and van der Flier burst on to the pass for the try.
Casey converted and after a Muntz penalty, with Eroni Mawi binned for his team’s serial infringements, Izuchukwu had a try on his debut ruled out by Hollie Davidson having ruled Mack Hansen’s pass forward.
Fiji lost scrumhalf Frank Lomani to an ankle injury, with Osborne soon to follow permanently for an apparent HIA.
Prendergast then sent van der Flier through a gap deftly the penalties against Fiji kept mounting. One Irish maul was held up before McCarthy peeled off to the blindside to feed Casey for a sharp finish by the corner flag,leaving Prendergast to convert from the right touchline.
Some Irish players deserved to be on danger money. Ciaran Frawley, on for Osborne at fullback, was hit hard and slightly late in his exposed rib cage by Mawi before the other prop, all 150kg of Tagi, caught Casey’s standing leg.
The first-half penalty count rose to 11-3, leading to a another close-rangte lineout and five-metre Irish scrum from which Aki pulled the ball back for Prendergast to float a kick pass to Hansen which he somehow seemed to make hang in the air for the winger to gather on the full and score.
Prendergast’s conversion went over via the upright to make it 28-3 at the break. When it’s your day, it’s your day.
Ireland quickly resumed on the offensive, Frawley making a break from halfway off another pass from Prendergast. Soon after Aki was bumping his opposite number in trucking up lineout ball, and with his third touch of the move accelerated through a disorganised defence from Gus McCarthy’s pass after Izuchukwu and Casey did well to keep the ball alive; Hollie Davidson proving none the worse for wear when clattered by Vocevoce.
Fiji finally mounted their first excursion deep into enemy lines and when Iain Henderson vacated his post as a pillar defender to counter-ruck. Gus McCarthy didn’t fill the gap and openside Salawa crashed through to score.
Frustratingly for Ireland, another try was ruled out for a forward pass, this time by Frawley, before a neat finish by Conor Murray, stationed on the wing in the place ofStockdale.
Cue the eventful cameo of 19-year-old Stade Francais recruit Setareki Turagacoke. A week after his try-scoring debut against Spain, the replacement lock supported some fabulous footwork by Muntz as he left both McCarthys in his wake to galop over and was then binned for diving over a ruck to catch Casey.
Punishment was swift and exact, Cian Prendergast and Thomas Clarkson giving some oomph off the bench before Casey flung a long pass to the touchline hugging Hansen for his second try.
When Aki went off he was replaced by Ronan Kelleher, who went to hooker, with Gus McCarthy in the backrow and Doris in midfield from one scrum. But it was Doris who drew the man and fed Kelleher on the blindside of another attacking lineout for the latter to score sharply.
Having landed his first five conversions, Prendergast missed for the second time in a row. Like the team then, not perfect. No performance ever is, but pretty convincing nonetheless.
SCORING SEQUENCE – 4 mins: Doris try, S Prendergast con 7-0; 7: van der Flier try, Casey con 14-0; 17: Muntz pen 14-3; 29: Casey try, S Prendergast con 21-3; 40: Hansen try, S Prendergast 28-3; Half-time 28-3; 46: Aki try, S Prendergast con 35-3; 54: Salawa try, Muntz con 35-10; 63: McCarthy try, S Prendergast con 42-10; 65: Turagacoke try, Muntz con 42-17; 67: Hansen try 47-17; 78: Kelleher try 52-17.
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne; Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Andrew Porter, Gus McCarthy, Finlay Bealham; Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Cormac Izuchukwu, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt).
Replacements: C Frawley for Osborne (27 mins); T O’Toole for Porter, T Clarkson for Bealham, C Prendergast for van der Flier, S McCloskey for Henshaw (all 47); C Murray for Stockdale (49); I Henderson for Izuchukwu (50); R Kelleher for Aki (73).
Yellow card: S Prendergast (7 mins).
FIJI: Vuate Karawalevu; Jiuta Wainiqolo, Waisea Nayacalevu (capt), Josua Tuisova, Ponepati Loganimasi; Caleb Muntz, Frank Lomani; Eroni Mawi, Tevita Ikanivere, Luke Tagi; Mesake Vocevoce, Temo Mayanavanua; Meli Derenalagi, Kitione Salawa, Elia Canakaivata.
Replacements: P Matawalu for Lomani (23 mins); H Hetet for Salawa (23-28); S Matavesi for Ikanivere, S Tawake for Tagi (both 51); S Maqala for Loganimasi (55); S Turagacoke for Mayanavanua, A Tuisue for Derenalagi (both 59); V Botitu for Nayacalevu (61 mins).
Yellow cards: Mawi (18 mins); Turagacoke (66).
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU).
