RESULT: ENGLAND 35 FIJI 11
Fiji finish Second, must take lessons from this Loss. That is essentially the match report and while a basic explanation of the ’cause and effect’ of the game, it is important that Last Word On Sports look at the impact this match has on the teams progress in the tournament as a whole.
Games two, three and four are all just as important, so ‘picking themselves up’ quickly is a key action that coach John McKee needs to focus on. How the players react, how they regain focus on the next match against a well rested Australia side is a vital indication of how the Flying Fijians now conduct themselves.
And while reflecting on mistakes, poor tackling, lost opportunities and lack of decision making over this match, we take nothing away from the victors. England were under immense pressure and they ended the match in scoring four tries and wrapping up the match but they spent a lot of the game in third gear. They were distracted often and will have plenty to improve on.
From here, this Fijian sides course is tougher with a minimum of three wins required to advance. It’s that simple, but whoever said that Rugby is simple.
“CATCH THE BALL, PASS THE BALL, KICK THE BALL”
This match had it all – action, desperation, thunderous tackles and good kick-returns. If all of those could have been perfected, than the outcome might have favoured the team in white [England had lost the toss to decide playing colours] but as had occurred for this side in the encounter in recent years, they competed for the majority of the match to only fall short on the big stage.
It is a bitter pill for fans to take. The nation rises a little higher on their toes in World Cup year and it will be a sorrowful weekend for some. Sports talkback is full of “colourful conspiracy theories” on the Tier One and Tier Two nations, short comings in player availability and referee interpretations. Not all of those is true, especially any favouritism. The hosts were under pressure and they did not wilt. The Fijians were, they did not react well.
It is true though that there were calls made in the game that had an effect on the games flow. You can identify the early rolling maul and a direct infringement on their own line, where the resulting Penalty Try was awarded and to add insult, halfback Niko Matawalu was marched for a Yellow Card.
Not the only time that player would feel the focus on his actions, as when he had returned this speedster soon ran the blind and looked to have scored a scintillating awarded try when the officials were alerted to the stadium large-screen coverage that had spotlighted a lost ball. Jaco Peyper spent time in communication with the match officials, and they reversed the decision with a super slow-motion replay in exactly the right place, at the wrong time for the Fiji team. No try.
It impacted on the game, no question and even as Nemani Nadolo sprung back quickly up to catch a perfectly weighted kick and keep his team within a scoring movement of bettering the English, it was a gap that they could not overcome. It was riveting action just after the restart of the game and ‘Swing Low Sweet Chariot’ was screamed out with more passion than in recent friendly Internationals, and that crowd support was important. 82,000 at the home of England Rugby, it would have been a daunting noise to put to one side.
Some standouts for the Fiji cause were Leone Nakaraw, who had a power of work to do and managed a fine tackle count of 11 and he was supported in the pack by Akupusi Qera. The big men were not as flexible as their opposites, and some handling from this side is what would have let them down. Centre Vereniki Goneva often put his body on the line, holding the likes of Anthony Watson in check. The midfield held for so much of the game, and they mixed up their offensive lines too, using Nadolo as a dummy-runner but to not cross in the second spell was a surprise for many, including myself. Credit to the English tackling that they were not able to break holes. That was a key difference – lack of penetration and offloads.
What Fiji did miss, was literally converting goal scoring opportunities, as several important kicks were missed by this side and it might have cost them dearly if it were a five or six point final result.
CONVERTING PLACE KICKS
The pressure was on young Ben Volavola who had an up-and-down game. Spilling his first high ball, the night was a tough lesson in the realities of International Rugby. The New South Wales flyhalf was thrust into the match and did an average job. Not an example he will look back fondly on, but he should retain that youthful exuberance and that brilliant pin-point cross field kick. They also used Nadolo to kick, and his success was not anymore better: 33% for both, so I can see kicks being an immediate ‘work on’ in practice this week.
His oppositie George Ford had a quiet game too, in the way that first-fives often can. They do the basics so well, that they can lose any impact themselves and simply recycle or kick for the sidelines. He did not release his backs in the opening spell and when the constant handling errors began to mount, they went to basics and kicked ball away. Ford was subbed by Owen Farrell who improved their attacking play – a fortunate intercept and late try embellished that sides final scoreline. 35-17
Joe Marler was a menace over the park, as too was the ranging Tom Wood. Brad Barrit was all class for England, putting his body on the line for his nation, and said after the match “We knew this Fiji team are a quality outfit, they’ve shown it over the past year. In terms of a physical challenge, it was up there. Credit to the team they coped well with Nadolo and today it was about 15 men fighting as a defensive unit. We knew it could take 80 to break them down and now we can build towards next weekend’s game with Wales”.
That is a valid point, as the next game for each team is vital. For Fiji, that same positive sentiment should be generated within their group immediately. They face Australia (in their first match) so the challenge does not end here and they need to work on some key offensive plays, which they could not generate on Friday.
In a tournament like this, three wins are minimum. If they have to rely on losing bonus points or a points differential, then they might be fighting an uphill battle. Their big opportunity has passed them unfortunately, but it is how they react now – stand tall, and make all the fans proud back home. Bolea. That is what they must do, and they can win. Every side has a chance as Georgia has demonstrated in beating Tonga.
But Fiji must take lessons from this loss. They must reach deep and come together as a team. It’s that simple.
“Main photo”
