THIS WAS SEEN as possibly being the strongest Fiji team ever to visit Dublin and while Mick Byrne’s men will be disappointed with their indisciplined performance, Andy Farrell’s Ireland didn’t give them much scope to shine.
A strong defensive effort from Ireland laid the foundation for their most complete display of this autumn and though they won’t be getting carried away ahead of next weekend’s clash with Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies, there will be satisfaction after this eight-try victory.
Their attack was sharp throughout while Farrell’s decision to make seven changes to his starting XV was rewarded with plenty of good stuff from those who came into the side.
21-year-old hooker Gus McCarthy had an impressive debut in which he assisted three tries and added one of his own at the back of a powerful maul. There were understandably a couple of nervy moments but he bounced back instantly from those and showed why Ireland are so excited about his potential.
21-year-old out-half Sam Prendergast probably feared his first Test start was over in the eighth minute when he was sin-binned for a high tackle that needed an off-field review, but he returned from that yellow to guide Ireland’s attack sharply and kick well.
It helped the creative Prendergast that Craig Casey provided excellent service in a try-scoring performance at scrum-half, his crisp decision-making keeping Ireland playing at tempo.
Gus McCarthy impressed for Ireland on his debut at hooker. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Cormac Izuchukwu, Ulster’s 24-year-old, enjoyed his debut too and nearly had a first-half try only for the final pass to be called forward, while he showed some of his athleticism in close-quarters contact.
Jamie Osborne, still only 23, was brilliant at fullback for 28 minutes until he was forced off by injury, with Ciarán Frawley shining as his replacement, the Leinster playmaker shipping some massive Fijian hits as he kept coming back for more. Frawley linked beautifully with Prendergast on a few occasions.
Left wing Jacob Stockdale was lively on his first appearance for over a year but he too was forced off with an injury in the second half.
Crucially, the regular first-teamers like captain Caelan Doris – who moved to outside centre for the closing minutes – starting midfielders Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw, openside Josh van der Flier, props Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham, and lineout leader Tadhg Beirne were all in good form.
Ireland led 28-3 at the interval after tries from skipper Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Craig Casey, and Mack Hansen, while they added further scores from Bundee Aki, Hansen, Gus McCarthy, and Rónan Kelleher.
Fiji’s total lack of discipline in the first half was particularly damaging to their hopes and though they scored second half tries through Kitione Salawa and Setareki Turagacoke, they were second best by some distance.
Ireland will recognise that the Fijians’ shortcomings gave them lots of chances but this was a polished Irish performance. Now Farrell will look for another big push next weekend against the Wallabies in his final game before heading on Lions duty.
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Ireland celebrate Caelan Doris' opening score. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
After the Fijians had shown great respect to Michael D. Higgins during the pre-match build-up, each bowing to the Irish president as they greeted him, Ireland got off to a flyer as Jamie Osborne made an instant impact at fullback.
He launched an exciting counter-attack and won two high balls in the opening minutes, the second of which saw him tackled in the air. Ireland went to touch down the left and opportunity beckoned.
Having thrown his first lineout crooked, debutant McCarthy nailed his second one and looped around the back of the set-piece to accept a pass from van der Flier before flicking a slick pass back inside to captain Doris, who smashed through two tackles to finish.
Prendergast made it 7-0 after just five minutes but the Irish out-half was in the sin bin very soon after, paying the price for tucking his arm and making contact with Kitione Salawa’s head after he had kicked the ball close to the touchline.
It was a clear yellow and Prendergast had a nervous few minutes before learning he would return from his yellow, foul play review officer Andrew McMenemy deciding there hadn’t been a high-degree of danger in the hit.
Ireland managed that sin-bin period superbly, winning it 7-3. Fiji went close a couple of times but the Irish defence clung on. Bundee Aki and Andrew Porter forced turnovers either side of Fiji wing Jiuta Wainiqolo coming up just short after an exciting build-up, with the Fijians also overthrowing a lineout in the Irish 22 during that period.
Sam Prendergast was sin-binned in the first half. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Fiji’s own discipline was starting to slip though and that invited 14-man Ireland down the other end, where offloads from Aki and Henshaw to Jacob Stockdale saw them into a good position before the Fijians failed to roll away.
This time, Ireland went for the tap penalty from five metres out and they took the chance cleverly. McCarthy tapped and dropped a switch pass out the back for Doris, who hit van der Flier coming on a short, direct line for a superbly-executed try that was converted by Casey.
Fiji did grab three points back via Caleb Muntz’s boot just before Prendergast returned, but they almost instantly earned their own yellow card as loosehead prop Eroni Mawi’s lifting tackle saw referee Hollie Davidson follow up on her warning about their discipline.
Izuchukwu thought he had a debut try in the 23rd minute after Casey’s quick tap and some classy offloading sparked by Aki, but Davidson called the final pass from Mack Hansen forward. Andy Farrell wasn’t in agreement up in the Irish coaches’ box.
Ireland were creating lots of chances though and Casey finished sharply in the right corner for their third try off a smart offload by hooker McCarthy after he broke off the Irish maul. Prendergast nailed the extra two points from the right touchline.
Ireland had been unfortunate to lose the impressive Osborne to injury just before that, but his replacement Ciarán Frawley almost instantly began to link well with Prendergast as the Irish attack flowed.
Bundee Aki was player of the match. Ben Brady / INPHO
Ben Brady / INPHO / INPHO
Frawley took a couple of minutes to get his breath back after a monstrous hit on him by Luke Tagi just after he had passed, but Ireland were all over the Fijians, whose penalty count ticked up to 11 before the break.
And Farrell’s men had their fourth try with the last action of the half, Aki passing out the back from a five-metre scrum and Prendergast calmly stroking a cross-field kick for Hansen to cross untouched.
Ireland had a 28-3 lead at the break and picked up where they left off at the start of the second half as Beirne and Frawley made busts in midfield, part of another flowing passage that ended only a few metres short as Ireland were turned over at the breakdown.
They were back within striking range only minutes later and Aki got a well-deserved score, even if it came in contentious circumstances as Fijian lock Mesake Vocevoce appeared to be obstructed by referee Davidson as he attempted to get at Gus McCarthy before the hooker sent Aki over.
Stockdale was unfortunate to be forced off with a worrying-looking leg injury with half an hour left, meaning replacement scrum-half Conor Murray came on out on the left wing.
A raft of other substitutions robbed Ireland of their rhythm and Fiji had something of a resurgence, a scrum penalty against replacement prop Tom O’Toole – on at loosehead for the first time – giving them access into the Irish 22 before Salawa nabbed an opportunistic score, sniping from the ruck and scoring through Gus McCarthy and Murray’s despairing tackle effort.
Bundee Aki bursts over for Ireland's fifth try. Dan Sheridan / INPHO
Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO
Muntz’s conversion made it 35-10 but Ireland were in no mood for a genuine Fijian revival.
They marched down the other end, helped by more indiscipline from the visitors, and nearly scored as another sharp Prendergast released Frawley into space but his final pass to Murray down the left was deemed forward when the try looked odds-on.
It wasn’t long until hooker McCarthy deservedly had his maul try and though the Fijians struck back when out-half Muntz danced through their defence before offloading for 18-year-old replacement lock Setareki Turagacoke to finish, Ireland weren’t finished.
Hansen grabbed his second try from Casey’s clever pass off the group wide on the right, with Prendergast narrowly wide off the tee for the first time.
Aki nearly had his second with a monster carry in the 71st minute only to be held up over the tryline but Ireland still had plenty of time for one more score. Rónan Kelleher sealed the win after Doris broke back into the shortside from a dummy maul.
Irish fans celebrated the win to a rendition of Zombie.
Ireland scorers:
Tries: Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Craig Casey, Mack Hansen [2], Bundee Aki, Gus McCarthy, Rónan Kelleher
Conversions: Sam Prendergast [5 from 7], Craig Casey [1 from 1]
Fiji scorers:
Tries: Kitione Salawa, Setareki Turagacoke
Conversions: Caleb Muntz [2 from 2]
Penalties: Caleb Muntz [1 from 1]
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne (Ciarán Frawley ’28); Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw (Stuart McCloskey ’47), Bundee Aki (Rónan Kelleher ’74), Jacob Stockdale (Conor Murray ’50); Sam Prendergast (yellow card ’8), Craig Casey; Andrew Porter (Tom O’Toole ’47), Gus McCarthy, Finlay Bealham (Thomas Clarkson ’47); Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Cormac Izuchukwu (Iain Henderson ’51), Josh van der Flier (Cian Prendergast ’47), Caelan Doris (captain).
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Fresh faces impress as Farrell's Ireland blow Fiji away
Ireland 52
Fiji 17
THIS WAS SEEN as possibly being the strongest Fiji team ever to visit Dublin and while Mick Byrne’s men will be disappointed with their indisciplined performance, Andy Farrell’s Ireland didn’t give them much scope to shine.
A strong defensive effort from Ireland laid the foundation for their most complete display of this autumn and though they won’t be getting carried away ahead of next weekend’s clash with Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies, there will be satisfaction after this eight-try victory.
Their attack was sharp throughout while Farrell’s decision to make seven changes to his starting XV was rewarded with plenty of good stuff from those who came into the side.
21-year-old hooker Gus McCarthy had an impressive debut in which he assisted three tries and added one of his own at the back of a powerful maul. There were understandably a couple of nervy moments but he bounced back instantly from those and showed why Ireland are so excited about his potential.
21-year-old out-half Sam Prendergast probably feared his first Test start was over in the eighth minute when he was sin-binned for a high tackle that needed an off-field review, but he returned from that yellow to guide Ireland’s attack sharply and kick well.
It helped the creative Prendergast that Craig Casey provided excellent service in a try-scoring performance at scrum-half, his crisp decision-making keeping Ireland playing at tempo.
Cormac Izuchukwu, Ulster’s 24-year-old, enjoyed his debut too and nearly had a first-half try only for the final pass to be called forward, while he showed some of his athleticism in close-quarters contact.
Jamie Osborne, still only 23, was brilliant at fullback for 28 minutes until he was forced off by injury, with Ciarán Frawley shining as his replacement, the Leinster playmaker shipping some massive Fijian hits as he kept coming back for more. Frawley linked beautifully with Prendergast on a few occasions.
Left wing Jacob Stockdale was lively on his first appearance for over a year but he too was forced off with an injury in the second half.
Crucially, the regular first-teamers like captain Caelan Doris – who moved to outside centre for the closing minutes – starting midfielders Bundee Aki and Robbie Henshaw, openside Josh van der Flier, props Andrew Porter and Finlay Bealham, and lineout leader Tadhg Beirne were all in good form.
Ireland led 28-3 at the interval after tries from skipper Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Craig Casey, and Mack Hansen, while they added further scores from Bundee Aki, Hansen, Gus McCarthy, and Rónan Kelleher.
Fiji’s total lack of discipline in the first half was particularly damaging to their hopes and though they scored second half tries through Kitione Salawa and Setareki Turagacoke, they were second best by some distance.
Ireland will recognise that the Fijians’ shortcomings gave them lots of chances but this was a polished Irish performance. Now Farrell will look for another big push next weekend against the Wallabies in his final game before heading on Lions duty.
After the Fijians had shown great respect to Michael D. Higgins during the pre-match build-up, each bowing to the Irish president as they greeted him, Ireland got off to a flyer as Jamie Osborne made an instant impact at fullback.
He launched an exciting counter-attack and won two high balls in the opening minutes, the second of which saw him tackled in the air. Ireland went to touch down the left and opportunity beckoned.
Having thrown his first lineout crooked, debutant McCarthy nailed his second one and looped around the back of the set-piece to accept a pass from van der Flier before flicking a slick pass back inside to captain Doris, who smashed through two tackles to finish.
Prendergast made it 7-0 after just five minutes but the Irish out-half was in the sin bin very soon after, paying the price for tucking his arm and making contact with Kitione Salawa’s head after he had kicked the ball close to the touchline.
It was a clear yellow and Prendergast had a nervous few minutes before learning he would return from his yellow, foul play review officer Andrew McMenemy deciding there hadn’t been a high-degree of danger in the hit.
Ireland managed that sin-bin period superbly, winning it 7-3. Fiji went close a couple of times but the Irish defence clung on. Bundee Aki and Andrew Porter forced turnovers either side of Fiji wing Jiuta Wainiqolo coming up just short after an exciting build-up, with the Fijians also overthrowing a lineout in the Irish 22 during that period.
Fiji’s own discipline was starting to slip though and that invited 14-man Ireland down the other end, where offloads from Aki and Henshaw to Jacob Stockdale saw them into a good position before the Fijians failed to roll away.
This time, Ireland went for the tap penalty from five metres out and they took the chance cleverly. McCarthy tapped and dropped a switch pass out the back for Doris, who hit van der Flier coming on a short, direct line for a superbly-executed try that was converted by Casey.
Fiji did grab three points back via Caleb Muntz’s boot just before Prendergast returned, but they almost instantly earned their own yellow card as loosehead prop Eroni Mawi’s lifting tackle saw referee Hollie Davidson follow up on her warning about their discipline.
Izuchukwu thought he had a debut try in the 23rd minute after Casey’s quick tap and some classy offloading sparked by Aki, but Davidson called the final pass from Mack Hansen forward. Andy Farrell wasn’t in agreement up in the Irish coaches’ box.
Ireland were creating lots of chances though and Casey finished sharply in the right corner for their third try off a smart offload by hooker McCarthy after he broke off the Irish maul. Prendergast nailed the extra two points from the right touchline.
Ireland had been unfortunate to lose the impressive Osborne to injury just before that, but his replacement Ciarán Frawley almost instantly began to link well with Prendergast as the Irish attack flowed.
Frawley took a couple of minutes to get his breath back after a monstrous hit on him by Luke Tagi just after he had passed, but Ireland were all over the Fijians, whose penalty count ticked up to 11 before the break.
And Farrell’s men had their fourth try with the last action of the half, Aki passing out the back from a five-metre scrum and Prendergast calmly stroking a cross-field kick for Hansen to cross untouched.
Ireland had a 28-3 lead at the break and picked up where they left off at the start of the second half as Beirne and Frawley made busts in midfield, part of another flowing passage that ended only a few metres short as Ireland were turned over at the breakdown.
They were back within striking range only minutes later and Aki got a well-deserved score, even if it came in contentious circumstances as Fijian lock Mesake Vocevoce appeared to be obstructed by referee Davidson as he attempted to get at Gus McCarthy before the hooker sent Aki over.
Stockdale was unfortunate to be forced off with a worrying-looking leg injury with half an hour left, meaning replacement scrum-half Conor Murray came on out on the left wing.
A raft of other substitutions robbed Ireland of their rhythm and Fiji had something of a resurgence, a scrum penalty against replacement prop Tom O’Toole – on at loosehead for the first time – giving them access into the Irish 22 before Salawa nabbed an opportunistic score, sniping from the ruck and scoring through Gus McCarthy and Murray’s despairing tackle effort.
Muntz’s conversion made it 35-10 but Ireland were in no mood for a genuine Fijian revival.
They marched down the other end, helped by more indiscipline from the visitors, and nearly scored as another sharp Prendergast released Frawley into space but his final pass to Murray down the left was deemed forward when the try looked odds-on.
It wasn’t long until hooker McCarthy deservedly had his maul try and though the Fijians struck back when out-half Muntz danced through their defence before offloading for 18-year-old replacement lock Setareki Turagacoke to finish, Ireland weren’t finished.
Hansen grabbed his second try from Casey’s clever pass off the group wide on the right, with Prendergast narrowly wide off the tee for the first time.
Aki nearly had his second with a monster carry in the 71st minute only to be held up over the tryline but Ireland still had plenty of time for one more score. Rónan Kelleher sealed the win after Doris broke back into the shortside from a dummy maul.
Irish fans celebrated the win to a rendition of Zombie.
Ireland scorers:
Tries: Caelan Doris, Josh van der Flier, Craig Casey, Mack Hansen [2], Bundee Aki, Gus McCarthy, Rónan Kelleher
Conversions: Sam Prendergast [5 from 7], Craig Casey [1 from 1]
Fiji scorers:
Tries: Kitione Salawa, Setareki Turagacoke
Conversions: Caleb Muntz [2 from 2]
Penalties: Caleb Muntz [1 from 1]
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne (Ciarán Frawley ’28); Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw (Stuart McCloskey ’47), Bundee Aki (Rónan Kelleher ’74), Jacob Stockdale (Conor Murray ’50); Sam Prendergast (yellow card ’8), Craig Casey; Andrew Porter (Tom O’Toole ’47), Gus McCarthy, Finlay Bealham (Thomas Clarkson ’47); Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Cormac Izuchukwu (Iain Henderson ’51), Josh van der Flier (Cian Prendergast ’47), Caelan Doris (captain).
FIJI: Vuate Karawalevu; Jiuta Wainiqolo, Waisea Nayacalevu (co-captain) (Vilimoni Botitu ’61), Josua Tuisova, Ponepati Loganimasi (Sireli Maqala ’55); Caleb Muntz, Frank Lomani (Peni Matawalu ’23); Eroni Mawi (yellow card ’19) (Haereiti Hetet ’51), Tevita Ikanivere (co-captain) (Sam Matavesi ’51), Luke Tagi (Samu Tawake ’40); Mesake Vocevoce, Temo Mayanavanua (Setareki Turagacoke ’59 (yellow card ’67)); Meli Derenalagi (Albert Tuisue ’59), Kitione Salawa (Haereiti Hetet ’23 to ’29), Elia Canakaivata.
Referee: Hollie Davidson [SRU].
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Aviva Stadium Dominant Dublin Fiji Ireland Match Report