A red card to Fiji winger Eroni Sau has overshadowed the team's 38-23 defeat by Wales in the penultimate match of their Northern Hemisphere rugby tour.
Wales fullback Liam WIlliams scores the final try of the match on full-time. Photo: AFP
The Flying Fijians made a dream start at the Principality Stadium, with captain Waisea Nayacalevu scoring the opening try in the fourth minute after Wales had been penalised at the breakdown.
The visitors were leading 13-7 when Eroni Sau was shown a red card in the 25th minute for a dangerous tackle, with his trailing arm hitting the head of midfielder Johnny Williams.
The Fijians were then reduced to 13 men when flanker Albert Tuisue was sent to the sin bin for not releasing the ball under the posts. Wales scored from the resulting scrum to take a 14-13 lead into half-time.
Fiji began brightly in the second half, as a third penalty goal from Ben Volavola and a length of the field try from Waisea Nayacalevu opened up a 23-14 buffer with 23 minutes to play.
⏲️ 65' |
— Welsh Rugby Union (@WelshRugbyUnion) November 14, 2021
19 - 23 pic.twitter.com/UyQ7wX5Kba
However, ill-discipline struck again as replacement prop Eroni Mawi was yellow carded just after the hour mark.
Welsh hooker Ryan Elias rumbled over for his second try of the match to cut Fiji's lead to four points before winger Alex Cuthbert danced down the touchline to put the home side in front 24-23 less than quarter of an hour remaining.
Fiji were restored to 14 players with eight minutes remaining but any hopes of a final comeback were ended shortly after when left winger Rees Zammit put on the after burners to complete a sensational solo try.
Hang it in the Louvre
— World Rugby (@WorldRugby) November 14, 2021
@autumnnations pic.twitter.com/JAhiM0XcAT
Man of the match Liam Williams then touched down on full-time to compete a 38-23 victory and leave Fiji wondering what could have been if they had a full compliment of players on the field.
Wales skipper Ellis Jenkins said Fiji caused them a lot of problems at the breakdown and defended very well.
"Fiji are a great team, full of exciting players and they're so tough to stop when they get going," he told Amazon Prime.
Fiji played with ❤️ today. Dominated in contact. How that was a try I’ll never know♂️. Always going to be a tough ask to win a test match with 14 men (13 men for 20min) . In saying that I couldn’t be more proud of the boys. Onwards and upwards. ❤️ #settu #tosotale #WALvFJI
— nemzy (@nemani_nadolo) November 14, 2021
"We stuck to our guns, we were a bit messy at times but fair play to them it was tough from start to finish.
"We knew we were in for a game, every time you play Fiji they have these purple patches. They play free-flowing rugby and even when you know it's coming it's tough to stop.
"We had to grind them down and hope it opened up and that's what happened."
A great effort. Congrats @WelshRugbyUnion pic.twitter.com/fd1rPvwzH4
— Fiji Rugby Union (@fijirugby) November 14, 2021
Meanwhile, former Wales flanker Emyr Lewis told BBC Radio Cymru that despite the scoreline, it was Fiji who dictated much of the match.
"I don't feel Wales were ever in control of that game. I know they scored six tries in the end but they never really dominated Fiji," he said.
The Flying Fijians and Wales will meet in the pool stage of the 2023 Rugby World Cup in France, while Fiji will face Georgia in their final November tour match this weekend.
