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00:04such a rich recent history to this fixture which will be overseen today with a limerick brogue
00:11Ireland's own cross continuing his rise through the officiating ranks with another major appointment
00:17today it has just gone one o'clock in the morning in Fiji but you can bet all across the
00:25archipelago the television sets will be blaring the lights in the homes will be blazing and the
00:33villages from Ireland to Ireland will be bustling as their heroes ascend the stage
00:42we're in Cardiff yes but Cardiff with a Fijian flavour for one week only as Dan Edwards with
00:51a swing of the right boots gets us going and the first touch for Rondrandra and Wain N'Golo
00:57the top try scored in French rugby this season look at Fiji from the kickoff Icaraberi has held it but
01:04the flag is raised if you want an example of what Fiji rugby is all about of what they have
01:10come here
01:11to do Filippo Totti it that was it yeah exactly right two teams in the conversing
01:17styles of play Fiji as we know they will play with flair they will play from anywhere I love that
01:23about
01:23them they look for space they put the ball there and they back themselves every time a brilliant
01:31fixture to start this campaign for these two teams in the nation's championship
01:37first line-up for the fit again very late and it's not gone to plan picked off by Nasilasila
01:45Nasilasila with the carry through the middle winding Golo off his wing finding Rago Talmanda
01:50trying to score a bit twicken him a few years back in Fiji beat England in England for the first
01:55time ever
01:56until it's第二 foul of winding Rago Talmanda
02:00Armstrong Rabula some issues with Caleb wants his passport and arrive late in camp in France
02:05so the younger man wearying 10 today Massive opportunity for him as Rian in Golo gets rid of
02:11Wainwright Murray brings him down, teaching him Fojjee playing with real vigor
02:16Sova Kula bashing into Morgan
02:20OK, he's put there, he's put there.
02:22Slower for Lomani, Maena Banua, to Isova.
02:26The bus flings it out the back to Tanakai Vata.
02:30Even going backwards, three Welshmen required to stop him.
02:34And they're having a nibble.
02:38Oroni Mawi, the dump truck from Saracens.
02:41The dump truck has spilled the payload.
02:44And we'll see space in the backfield.
02:46Thomas Williams chasing back Ravukal Manda.
02:51Eddie James showing some interest here, he's Lasud Ravukal Manda.
02:55Armstrong, Ravula is there.
02:58Balls out.
03:00He's got numbers off to the left, Rayasi's too quick for Morgan.
03:04Lovely ball over the top.
03:06Salawa inside looking for the winding goal.
03:09Tuisora picks it up, options either side.
03:11Lomani, one more pass might do it.
03:15Beautiful, brilliant, bamboozling.
03:20The Fijians have come to the party.
03:24They've come to play.
03:26And Cardiff is their canvas.
03:29As they weave their wonderful patterns all over it.
03:34Pitagas Sawakula brings the flying Fijians faithful to their feet.
03:40This is just one of the many reasons why I love Fiji.
03:43Because they remind you of how simple rugby can be.
03:47Pass, follow, support the play.
03:50One thing you'll notice throughout this game, it does not matter what number is on their jersey.
03:55Every player can step, every player can pass, every player can follow up.
04:00That's a big wake up call for Wales.
04:02Defence was an issue in the Six Nations this year.
04:06They've got to sharpen up their tackles.
04:08It's not just one thing making a tackle against a Fiji player.
04:12You've got to tackle them to the ground with the ball to not let them get that offload away.
04:18Fiji seven, Wales nil.
04:20And aside from a wayward line-out and a clearance kick,
04:23Wales haven't touched the pill yet.
04:25And you know what?
04:25It was the right decision by Thomas Williams to make that kick.
04:28Because Fiji are so preoccupied with attack, they will send the whole team up high,
04:33which quite often means there is space in that backfield.
04:35But if you kick there, it's got to go off.
04:38You don't want to put it in for a foot race, which is what we saw then.
04:41Timo's happy with everything we've got here.
04:43Absolutely right for Steve Tandy here, he's been forced to bring Alex Mann,
04:46his top tackler from the Six Nations, off for a head injury assessment.
04:50That's why James Botham and the Redhead here is with us.
04:53Kicking to Semir Andranda again.
04:55Well, there are people to kick a rugby ball too.
05:00He's sent off for a famous win for Fiji, their first in Wales,
05:05Principality two Novembers back.
05:08Not much distance on that from Romani,
05:10winding goalers kept it alive.
05:13Did you knock it on this time?
05:15First chance for Wales to land some attacking punches.
05:19Then goes back to Sparky Blair Murray.
05:22Hawkins to James, to Adams, and the pass has gone forwards.
05:29Good ambition there shown from Wales,
05:32trying to get it into those wide channels early.
05:35Which was just that last pass.
05:40Just a bit of timing there.
05:42Josh Adams could have just held his space a little bit more.
05:46You could see the pressure that Eddie James was coming under.
05:49It's probably going to be what we call a man-and-ball pass.
05:52So you're going to get hit whilst you're making that pass.
05:54So a support player, you just want to give a little bit of space between you
05:58to allow for a pass that's probably not going to be in the best quality.
06:04Wales are forced to attempt over 200 tackles a game in the Six Nations,
06:08missing 26 per match in 2026,
06:12conceding a competition high of 13 offloads.
06:15You missed 26 tackles, you concede 13 offloads against this Fijian team.
06:20With good stability, we just need to take some weight off.
06:22We're pretty engaged.
06:24You want a small bit more space?
06:26Okay, let's take the space.
06:28No problem.
06:30Wales had a warm-up game coming into this where they played against the Barbarians
06:33and again, unfortunately, you did see those weaknesses in defence.
06:37And it's more the one-on-one tackles, it's not so much the structure,
06:40they look organised at times, but it's just those one-on-one hits.
06:43It's got to be a big focus for today.
06:55Steady platform for Fiji.
06:58Armstrong Ravula finding Dui Soba,
07:01who's just splintering this Welsh midfield.
07:03An enormous specimen.
07:06Randa Randa, vicious step, backdoor offloads.
07:09Armstrong Ravula, a little bit wild that time.
07:11All backwards though, until it's not.
07:13Lost forwards on the deck and Edwards is going to beat Tanakaivata for pace.
07:19Romani's back to recover and get Fiji out of trouble.
07:23High risk, high rewards, that's the game plan.
07:30Dan Edwards just showing the wheels he has got.
07:37Like you say, high risk, high rewards.
07:41But that's how Fiji play, they always want to keep that ball alive.
07:48Big thing recently for Wales has been building the care and the connections in the environment.
07:54Using the geographical proximity of the regions to their advantage,
07:58getting round with the coaching staff, visiting players.
08:02Those little off-field connections that are so important in the throws of battle.
08:09First time Wales have had the ball inside the Fijian 22.
08:13Thomas Williams down the blindside to Reece Salmon.
08:17Armstrong Ravula marches him back, dumps him on his back.
08:22The door barred emphatically on Wales' greatest talent.
08:30You kind of feel for him there, there's not much he can do.
08:34I mean, he has got magic feet, he's a strong player,
08:37but he literally had a metre and a half to play with then.
08:40If you want to get the best out of him,
08:41you've got to get him into a little bit more space than that.
08:44Outside shoulder.
08:45A quick throw from Tibitai Cannaveri.
08:48The ball's going to come again.
08:49Scrummer line in.
08:51Scrum, sorry, sorry.
08:52That's straight, lads, outside shoulder with a contest.
08:54Let's go boys, let's go, let's go.
08:59Coach Seneirussi Serovacola applied to be the head coach of his country four times.
09:04He was rejected on all four occasions.
09:06The stakes as high for him as for any of his players.
09:10He's been charged by the Fiji rugby board of winning two of these next three games.
09:14Wales, England, Scotland in the coming weekends.
09:17To give himself the best possible chance of holding his dream job for longer.
09:24He wants to showcase the quality of his coaching.
09:28To the board and to the people back home.
09:31Crowds.
09:34Bind.
09:36Set.
09:39Stay, stay, stay.
09:41Wales have the nudge on at scrum time.
09:48And that's what it looks like the first area so far where Wales could have an advantage.
09:53Yeah, absolutely.
09:54It's certainly an area they're going to target.
09:55Although you have to say Fiji up old, maybe that was an area you target.
09:59The scrum, the line out, the sort of set piece.
10:02But actually there's some real improvements there.
10:05However, Wales have to feel that they're going to be the more dominant in this situation.
10:10Albeit without a couple of their strong props from the Six Nations.
10:14It's a real opportunity for Dylan Lewis.
10:17He's been a little bit out in the wilderness, number three.
10:20But he's got his opportunity.
10:22My likes there.
10:23Reece Carey on your screen.
10:25Well renowned for his work on the loose.
10:27How he carries the ball, how he moves that.
10:29He scored against Ireland in the Six Nations.
10:33But he's got a point to prove about his ability in the scrum.
10:40Wales used the climbing line-out to great effect towards the end of the Six Nations.
10:43Danny Wilson, their line-out coach, has been drilling this and drilling it again in the lead-up to this
10:48match.
10:49In come a baby of Welsh backs.
10:52Owen Cross has a look.
11:00OK, up again, step away, please.
11:04Lads, whistle's gone.
11:06We'll check it.
11:08OK, we'll check.
11:09Yeah.
11:10No, no, no.
11:12The ball's an in-goal first.
11:13OK.
11:14I've got the ball grounded on the floor.
11:15I just want to confirm it's not held up beforehand.
11:18OK.
11:23OK, perfect.
11:24OK, Leo, we're coming up to you.
11:26I'm going to go to Leo Kogan and TLO for the first time.
11:29Yeah, let's go back to the start here.
11:30I'm feeling the decision is to try as I have the ball grounded.
11:32I just want to make sure it was grounded legally.
11:35OK, stand by, Crossy.
11:39So Holly Davison, the assistant referee, identified a penalty advantage against Fiji in any case.
11:45Adam Beer, to his Wales Mall expert, asking a question about a penalty try.
11:53You need to see conclusive evidence that this hasn't been scored, Philippa, to overturn Owen Cross's decision on the pitch.
12:02Yeah.
12:10This might be our best angle.
12:17This is Troy, yeah.
12:18That's the best angle, Crossy.
12:20OK, Leo.
12:21So, come back to me, I have a decision.
12:24There's no clear footage there to overturn our on-field decision, so we stay with the try.
12:28Agree.
12:30The try will stand.
12:32Wales hit back.
12:35Yes, absolutely, like you said, the on-field decision was try, so the PMO comes in, he needed to show
12:41something conclusive.
12:43Clear and obvious that that ball wasn't grounded, because we couldn't see it, meant that actually the on-field decision
12:49counts.
12:49So it is a try.
12:55Dan Edwards really has made that iconic red number 10 shirt his own in recent months, kicking it over 90
13:01% success rate for Wales in 2026.
13:11Not this time, though, it's a dunk for his stats.
13:14Seven points to five, it remains.
13:16I think that's what they call commentators good.
13:19Sorry, Dan.
13:21But yeah, absolutely, I think the jersey is his now.
13:23I think there's great competition from Sam Costello still.
13:27But I do think Dan Edwards now just needs to be given some time to really find his feet in
13:32that jersey.
13:33Performed really well against the Barbarians last week, scored two tries.
13:38He's great in attack, solid in defence, he just needs time.
13:41Aaron Wainwright, one of the stars of Wales' Six Nations campaign.
13:44He's going to be a Leicester Tiger next season, even across the border from the Dragons.
13:51Thomas Williams is moving from Gloucester to Saracens, goes long.
13:56Rayasi.
13:57Armstrong, Ravula with him, Jack Morgan's going to try and pilfer that.
14:03He doesn't quite do enough.
14:06Romani sends it skywards.
14:07Again, it's a bit of a love wedge, not much distance on it.
14:10Rondrandra slapping it back, Morgan is there to pick up the pieces.
14:16Williams.
14:18Carter, industrious lock from the Dragons.
14:21No!
14:23Rock for him.
14:25Reece Carey.
14:26Edwards out the back, he got belted by Solokula.
14:33Dewey Lake this time, just his second match since November.
14:38Edwards, Wales building some momentum here.
14:41Three on two on the outside, Wainwright.
14:43And Avanua gets to him.
14:47Fiji win the penalty.
14:49Super bit of Jack Ling from the bus himself.
14:52Tosso Tossova.
14:53Pulling it.
14:56I think it was the right call there for Aaron Rainwright to try and have a go.
14:59He could see that Fiji was sort of crabbing across the field,
15:02which means their hips are all turned towards the sidelines.
15:05So he cut it back against that.
15:06Got some initial good meters.
15:08Just unfortunately, the support player wasn't there quick enough.
15:12But fantastic.
15:13I don't want to take anything away from Fiji and the work on the floor here.
15:16Look, the supporting player just coming in on the left-hand side there.
15:19Timed that to perfection.
15:23Hooker, step up lads, open up last one.
15:25We've already seen the contrast of how these teams attack.
15:28Fiji seven offloads to Wales is nil.
15:29Six clean breaks to Wales is nil.
15:31Less structure, more pizzazz.
15:36Absolutely, and it's something that Wales are going to have to turn around those stats
15:39if they've got any chance of winning this game.
15:42Armstrong Raboula.
15:44Crossfield up and under.
15:45Celeste Iasi, the ex-basketballer,
15:48leaping with Murray, much taller than his opposite number.
15:51And then someone's tipping it off the ball.
15:55Number 15 off the ball, preventing Wales.
15:58Yeah, I think it was Louis Samet there just saying that he was being held on the ground.
16:07These little areas of indiscipline that will frustrate Fiji.
16:10They had former World Cup final referee, World Rugby consultant Alan Rolands in with them, working on their discipline this
16:17week.
16:17He gave a lost presentation on Tuesday.
16:20And it's these niggly ones that Fiji have been keen to eradicate in particular.
16:24Yeah, so you can just see the top corner of the screen there.
16:27Numbers, lads.
16:28Five.
16:29The Fiji player holding on to Louis Riesamek.
16:31I would say Louis Riesamek made quite a bit of a show of it, but still...
16:34Lads, it's the second time.
16:35Fiji, you're on there, Mac.
16:36I need you to come in at the front, please.
16:38The gap is too big.
16:39It shouldn't be being held.
16:45Both in claims at the tail.
16:47Hawkins to Wainwright.
16:49The tip pass on the line.
16:53Morgan.
16:59Hawkins, that second playmaker, it's that axis again with Wainwright.
17:02Turnover's good.
17:03Fiji burgled it back again.
17:05Demo Maina Banua, fabulous work on the floor.
17:08And now they've got a slew of flight off to the right-hand side.
17:12Riasi running the arc.
17:13Now he'll give it to Dewey Sobak.
17:15Over the top to Andrandra.
17:17Kapla, Rabel Kalmanda.
17:19Ripping wells asunder here.
17:21Off the deck to Romani.
17:22How have they kept us alive?
17:24And Andrandra just lets it go.
17:28My goodness, we're in for a treat today.
17:33So often when you're at rugby training and you throw the ball around too quickly,
17:37they call it don't pass a hot potato.
17:38Hold on to the ball, have a look and make sure you make your pass.
17:42Complete opposite from everything I think any Fiji player has ever been told.
17:47The passing, the speed and the awareness.
17:50They don't even have time to look at where players are.
17:53They just instinctively know that players will be spread across the field.
17:57They will be in gaps.
18:00Alex Mann has passed his head injury assessment.
18:03So James, Jim, Botham retreats to the bench for now.
18:08Breakdown defence, something Wells are very wary about.
18:10They've identified that Fiji go after everything on the ground.
18:14It's happening again here.
18:15And they're going to be rewarded by Anna Bonuas.
18:18Nicked another.
18:20Holding again.
18:24Jack their first man in position.
18:26Holding from Wales.
18:28It's a game plan that almost shouldn't work.
18:31Because Fiji will attack from anywhere, run from anywhere.
18:33And they will jackal anything.
18:35Jackal is really energy sapping stuff.
18:38But they come away with the rewards.
18:40And what happens is like now, they can have that little breather.
18:43So they've played with incredible intensity.
18:45They've bought themselves that jacket.
18:46And they just buy themselves a couple of seconds.
18:49Below on your graphic there, you can see handling errors.
18:53Five to Fiji, only one to Wales.
18:54But that doesn't matter.
18:56Like we said, with Fiji, high risk, high reward.
18:59They do not mind if that ball goes to the ground,
19:02because they will manage to keep it in play and keep it alive.
19:05It's an overthrow from Ikaniberi,
19:07but Roni Maui picks it up and he frees his hands well.
19:10Tortui Sova, who's bustling and wounded Welshman.
19:15And Sila Sila, Fiji Andrua's most capped player.
19:19Stay there, stay there, good.
19:20Mayana Banua calling for it, his muscular frame.
19:23Brings Fiji another metre closer.
19:26Armstrong Ravula, Payasi lurking out the back.
19:30Languid, effortless, graceful style.
19:33Another brilliant pass to Rabu Talmanda.
19:35Your jaw hits the floor almost every time Fiji throw these offloads.
19:40Nasila Sila, have a seat, Alex Mann, don't care how many tackles you've made.
19:45Fiji burrowing again.
19:47Piragas Sovakula in there, Ikaniberi too.
19:50Real brutality in this stuff.
19:53Sovakula, Rayasi through the legs, Tui Sova, Rabu Talmanda!
20:01Fiji plucking rabbits from Hats again.
20:05The laws of physics don't apply when you're Fijian.
20:08Tia Malicek, coming up to you.
20:11Okay, Krasi.
20:11And Fiji isn't his try.
20:14Just check that the player was in touch before grounding.
20:18Okay, stand by Krasi.
20:20So we're coming back for penalty advance for saving that side.
20:24Five after.
20:26It's incredible, Superman touch.
20:28Wow.
20:31Has he held that ball?
20:33Is there a clear press from Rabu Talmanda?
20:38This is tight.
20:39Krasi, just stand by, please.
20:41Yeah, okay, take a try.
20:41Yeah, so initially they'll be looking for, is there separation?
20:44So can we see daylight between obviously hand and ball?
20:46But even if the ball sort of moves down the hand,
20:49as long as there's no separation and there is a press,
20:52the try will stand.
20:53So look for that.
20:55Oh, now, is that fingertip still in contact?
20:58Number 14, White loses possession of the ball.
21:01There's clear separation.
21:03So it's a knock on and then go.
21:05Okay, thank you.
21:06So come back to me, Leo.
21:07We have a decision.
21:13Back in, Krasi.
21:14Okay, so the Fiji pair's last possession of the ball
21:16and there is clear separation before the grounding,
21:18so we change our on-field decision to no try
21:20and we come back for the penalty for offside.
21:24There was an offside against Jack Morgan
21:26in the lead-up to that play.
21:31Fiji denied.
21:32That would have been another banner.
21:35But you get the sense there's more to come.
21:38The style of rugby that coach Senirussi Serawakura is instructing.
21:43He's called Kai Viti in Fiji
21:46and it literally translates to from Fiji.
21:48It's about embracing their DNA.
21:50Showing the world who they are
21:53and expressing themselves through their rugby.
21:56Ironi Maui dips the shoulders.
21:57Onside now, onside.
21:58Wales sandbagging the tri-line.
22:05Fiji keeping it tight.
22:07Challenge from Adam Beard.
22:09Fiji borrow again.
22:11Fiji borrow again.
22:11The caniwere.
22:13Suspicions of a knock-on from Wales.
22:16Here they come again, Fiji.
22:19Onside Wales.
22:20Honeypotting around the ball.
22:22If they move it, there's a chance to the left.
22:24Tim Hoyt thinks he's scored it.
22:27Matthew Carley, the assistant referee, says he's dropped it.
22:30And that's a huge win for Wales defensively.
22:34You can see, caniwere, the Welsh players patting one another on the back.
22:39Are you the captain?
22:40That is a huge moment for them to be able to hold Fiji out like that.
22:46There would have been a huge emphasis on their defence coming into this game.
22:51Some moments like that they've got to take, they've got to harness.
22:54But now it's really important that they get an exit from here.
22:59They need to relieve some pressure.
23:02We don't rest for the screen, let's just keep working with us please.
23:05Tim Hoyt, the tight head prop, raised at England's East Midlands.
23:09Just won the English Championship for Woosh the Warriors.
23:11He'll be a Lyon player in France next season.
23:14And his eyes lit up as the prospect of a first test try.
23:18White line fever, as it's known.
23:24Wales would love a scrum penalty here from Rhys Carey and company.
23:28But they go instead to the left boot of Blair Murray.
23:32It's an excellent pressure relieving kick.
23:35Get the protractor out because the angles he's worked with there are so acute, so impressive.
23:43Yeah, and you know what, he's going to want to show the coaches how important that left boot is.
23:48Because he shot into stardom after his first cap and he was the starting 15 for Wales for some time.
23:53But then these six nations, it's all been Louis Ries-Samit.
23:56And then Mary's barely got a look in, so he's really going to want to take his opportunities today.
24:00And Tui Sova has just ironed out the great Jack Morgan, steamrolling him onto his back.
24:07Here's the Ravo Talmanda through Thomas Williams.
24:12Wales players are going to resemble the contents of an old fruit bowl tomorrow.
24:15Beaten black and blue by the ferocity of these collisions.
24:21He can't worry, Morgan again with his head in the spokes.
24:27Here's Piragas Sawakula, over the top to Wain N'Golo.
24:31Murray stops him well.
24:33Toi Sova into Sawakula, through the legs.
24:36Dandrandar has it, Armstrong Rabula has it.
24:39This is mesmeric stuff again from Fiji.
24:43They refuse to let the ball die.
24:46Breakdowns are their enemy right now.
24:49Wain N'Golo goes on his own.
24:51Tackle.
24:53Armstrong Rabula, Rabu Talmanda hugging the touchline beneath us.
24:57Salawa, Ries Carey makes the tackle.
25:00The uploads are flying again.
25:02Rabu Talmanda through three Welsh tackles.
25:05Now Sela Sela goes.
25:07And Fiji off their feet.
25:10Just a little too eager.
25:14You've got to have that urgency to get to that ruck, but you've got to be in control of your
25:18body weight.
25:19So the whole off-feet thing is getting in over the player to try and secure the ball.
25:24But you've got to be on your feet.
25:25If you just flop on the player, that's deemed off your feet.
25:28It's reckless play.
25:29I was hearing someone here.
25:37Relax.
25:38There you go. You see the player there.
25:41Not in control.
25:42Not on his feet.
25:43Just dived into the area.
25:45And that could have been dangerous.
25:46Claren Rayne right there wearing number eight.
25:48He's obviously in a very low position.
25:50So you've got to be aware of heads as well in that situation.
25:53Yeah.
25:55Okay, fair enough.
25:56Is that one of us?
25:56Okay, no problem.
26:02Well, those numbers tell the story, Philip.
26:04Will Fiji rule these missed opportunities though?
26:09Water off.
26:10Well, yeah, exactly right.
26:11I mean, if Wales can get a foot into the game, get some territory, get their kicking game going, then
26:16they could hold Fiji out.
26:18However, I do think there's still more to come from this Fiji team, but 12 missed tackles from Wales was
26:24just highlighted in the stats.
26:26Bearing in mind, there's only been 20 minutes played.
26:28That's pretty high.
26:39That's pretty high.
26:43Yes.
26:45Okay.
26:46Each of the five Wales hookers involved in the build-up to this camp.
26:49Meet with line-out coach Danny Wilson once a week at the Baylor Glamorgan Hotel.
26:54Go through a line-out throwing session.
26:57The return of Lake from that long injury lay-off.
27:00One-stop.
27:01Such a boost.
27:03Keeping the captaincy ahead of the fit again, Morgan.
27:08Williams over the top of Ikanuweri.
27:11Hawkins leading the charge.
27:13Rayasi knocks it backwards.
27:16Thomas Williams is first on the crumbs.
27:19Morgan, man, had to get that away quickly.
27:22Hawkins sees space behind Silesi Rayasi.
27:25He's not moving with great urgency just now.
27:27As he's breathing down his neck.
27:29Rayasi effortless.
27:32Deadly.
27:33Running with a cigar in his hands and then throwing a pass that really ought to have gone to hand.
27:39With four Fijians alongside him.
27:41He knows that was a chance for Fiji to go the distance.
27:45Let's go.
27:46Oh, Rayasi did so well, didn't he?
27:49Look so casual on that turn.
27:51No pressure.
27:52He got Welsh players breathing down his neck.
27:55Look at that little stutter step and he is off.
28:00But there's lazy passing and then there's lazy passing.
28:03He is not going to want to see that back again.
28:06Real wasted opportunity.
28:09I wonder how many flying Fijian players would make your fantasy rugby 15.
28:13You can join in the fun, scan the QR code on your screen now.
28:16Pick your team and crew the points.
28:18And compete to win the prizes.
28:25Who will be your number one tape?
28:27Who's the first name on your fantasy team?
28:31Who will be your number one tape?
28:32Ruben Love, you All Blacks fly half.
28:35A fantastic game this morning.
28:37He's going to be the mainstay.
28:38I think he'd be worth a lot of assists running metres, offloads.
28:43I probably wouldn't be too expensive either.
28:44Your bones!
28:44You're so technical.
28:45I just use my heart.
28:48Don't think about all this stuff.
28:50You're not allowed to pick 15 Welsh players.
28:53You're not allowed to pick 15 Welsh players.
28:55Fod up, reset.
29:02Quick reset.
29:05Fair.
29:06But I just have it off before I go forward.
29:08Stay down.
29:10Stay down.
29:12Stay down.
29:13Stay down.
29:14Stay down.
29:14Let's go.
29:16Birigas Sawakuna, one of the best stories in the Fijian team.
29:20Basketballer represented Fiji in that sport.
29:23Ended up moving over to New Zealand, playing professionally there.
29:26Scholarship to Iowa.
29:28Progressed through the rugby ranks to win a few caps against Ireland
29:31for the All Blacks.
29:33Going over to France, Clermont and Perpignot.
29:36He qualified for his home country.
29:39And here he is again.
29:41Vantage.
29:42Wales though, that's where they're going to have the dominance,
29:44in that scrummage.
29:45Edwards has got to be careful,
29:46because there was a missile coming his way.
29:49A missile called Semirandrandra.
29:54Stay up.
29:55Up and across in the pressure.
29:56Stay down.
29:57How brilliant for Dan Edwards,
29:58to just ride that tackle.
30:00Look at that hit.
30:01Don't fucking go.
30:02He's found his class.
30:04Just make sure we stay in those few strutters as well.
30:06Make sure we stay in those few strutters as well.
30:08Make sure we stay in those few strutters as well.
30:08Yeah, I'll catch him.
30:09That's it, I'll catch him.
30:10That's it, I'll catch him.
30:10That's it, I'll catch him.
30:10Just make feet on that one, just me and my own goal.
30:13Feet all going forward.
30:16Here's your match, come please.
30:18This looks like Wales' greatest source of opportunities.
30:22scrum winning penalties,
30:25putting the ball on the corner,
30:26using that whitton of a line-out drive,
30:30to carry Fiji backwards.
30:31Take some energy out of the Fijian legs.
30:33OK, here we go, open up.
30:34Come on, come on.
30:36Fijian, mark here.
30:37They play against the backdrop of a dispute
30:40with the union over match fees,
30:42which, distressingly for those involved,
30:45has only resolved three days before this match took place.
30:48The ongoing spectre of which region and how
30:51it will be cut later on in the year.
30:54Team Wales, it's all about building,
30:56all about scoring.
30:58Williams with Reece Samet riding side saddle.
31:00Yeah, it's right now!
31:01No, no, stay.
31:03Very late, goes in.
31:04Reece carry.
31:07Wales' biggest carry-up.
31:08He can get back on side there.
31:13It goes again.
31:16Eddie James working hard for the midfields.
31:19Wainwright popping it up,
31:21Dylan Lewis is there.
31:24Mann!
31:25Oh, he's lost it.
31:27Lost it in the tackle.
31:29And Fiji can try and go for 95 metres.
31:33There's a horrible collision.
31:34Daniv was just taking some punishment.
31:36He's been hit with a baseball bat again.
31:39Rondrangos crunched him.
31:40Now his midfield partner Pui Soba's got in on the act.
31:43After all that, Fiji in scrum.
31:49That's frustrating.
31:50Yeah, Dan Edwards is going to take a knee for that one.
31:53Talk about playing on the gain line.
31:55I mean, he's absolutely fearless, isn't he?
32:00It was such great movement from Wales off that line out.
32:02The run around with Thomas Williams showing his pace.
32:06It was well defended initially by Fiji.
32:09There you go.
32:09See the lossable there.
32:11That's a great chop tackle from the Fijian player.
32:14Leo, have you anything different there now?
32:20OK, perfect.
32:24OK, water off, please.
32:27Strong Fiji.
32:30Fiji with 60% of the first half possession.
32:34Also winning the battle on the floor right now.
32:36A couple of jackal penalties and turnovers.
32:40This is going to test them, though.
32:41Can they exit from their own five metres line?
32:46The only message to Dewey was...
32:48..against the pack who's had the ascendancy thus far.
32:51Yes, of course.
32:57Do you think they'll kick it, Philippa?
32:59You know what?
32:59I'm just looking to see how they're set up,
33:01and I'm not sure.
33:03The fly half doesn't look like he's in a position to kick.
33:05I would not be surprised if you see a bit of a run around,
33:08maybe a number eight pick, and then set a platform.
33:13Bind!
33:16Set!
33:17Oh, no!
33:19We almost haven't got them going backwards this time,
33:22and they're going to use Tui Soba to bring themselves away.
33:25RANDRA-ANDRA.
33:26RANDRA-ANDRA on his outside.
33:28Well tackled by Eddie James.
33:29And Wales have the penalty.
33:34Josh Adams, the warrior on the wing.
33:39So just to explain there,
33:40referees saying extra roll and holding.
33:42So when you go to the ground,
33:43you can move once to present the ball,
33:46but if you move again,
33:47that's deemed an extra roll.
33:49So you can't sort of play whilst you're on the ground.
33:51There's that extra roll.
33:52You see that one?
33:53It's very subtle,
33:54but that buys the Fijians time to secure the ball,
33:57and it doesn't give the chance for Wales
33:59to get in over it and get the ball.
34:01As it happens,
34:03the Welsh backs did fantastic,
34:04and even though there was that extra roll,
34:07they still managed to get in and over the ball.
34:09No one...
34:09No one...
34:10Yeah.
34:12Oh, yeah.
34:13Two eastern Italy.
34:14Oh, yeah.
34:14RANDRA-ANDRA and Drussova,
34:16PG in centres.
34:18Both are six carries apiece.
34:20Cumulative total of around 40 metres.
34:23Joe Hawkins and Eddie James opposite them,
34:24and Hawkins has carried it three times.
34:27Eddie James, not once yet,
34:30shows the flow of play.
34:31How much ball has gone through the Fijian midfield.
34:35But that's the danger, Philippa.
34:37When you're true to that DNA,
34:39and you want to run from everywhere,
34:41if you get caught,
34:42you can play yourself at the trouble quite quickly.
34:45Yeah, absolutely.
34:46And they normally are so good at supporting one another
34:48and reading the most unpredictable things
34:51that these Fiji players will do,
34:53and they can get in over it.
34:55But unfortunately on that case, yes, too slow.
34:57And it looks like Fiji are going to be losing one of their superstars.
35:11That's how it happens.
35:12RANDRA-ANDRA's left leg just caught under him
35:14as he was brought down.
35:19Demaritha's got a bit of the elbow of the Bristol Bears.
35:22Heck of a replacement.
35:23He's stripped and going through his paces.
35:26In case the RANDRA-ANDRA can continue.
35:32Fiji and Brains Trust.
35:34Steve Tandy is in.
35:36Building his way into this role.
35:38It's interesting to hear Jack Morgan
35:40talking this week about the difference in environment.
35:43He was injured in the November series,
35:45didn't get to play as Ravoba does come on for RANDRA-ANDRA.
35:48we've seen a big change a big uplift in the mood the connection the positivity around this wales team
35:55yeah definitely lots of positivity coming out of the camp and even actually in the
35:59camp a lot has physically changed as well there's been quite a development up at the vale
36:03which is the center of excellence for the welsh national teams simple things like they have rooms
36:09now where they actually have fields sketched on the floor about 30 meters sort of inside
36:15where steve tandy will walk players onto this and say right we're in our 22 what are we doing then
36:20he'll walk them further up he's very much into players learning in different ways
36:26some like the whiteboard some like the computer some want to be on their feet
36:34that replacement by the way rabble go for under under it it's desperately sad to see any player
36:39particularly a player of semir andrandra's caliber forced off through injury
36:46but calaveti rabble hold third top try scorer in england this season a dozen of them in the gallagher frame
36:52nobody in the league ran for more meters only one player beat more tackles than his haul of 82
36:59men's back of the season tried the season awards at bristol's end of season do
37:04and the very sad news for semir andrandra is that the buggy and the stretcher are going to be required
37:10to cart him away for some further medical treatment
37:20what will whales have made in this opening half hour or so philippa you can see the way that fiji
37:24are
37:24trying to play it whales built their way into the game sufficiently oh i don't know whether we say
37:29sufficiently but they certainly are finding their way back in little little you know um cracks that
37:35they're coming through i don't think they would have been surprised this is what you always expect
37:39playing against fiji intensity reaction or play so they'll attack from anywhere they probably will
37:44score a couple of tries against you what you need to do is make sure you score more you frustrate
37:49them
37:50you pin them back i think we're slowly seeing little glimpses of that with some good defense
37:56that's initially on the try line now this turnover stifling fiji's play and using those kicks to get
38:03the line out and the driving wall into it
38:09talking about potential replacements fiji have a
38:13a long list of 50 players who were identified were part of the training camp before sinirusi
38:19sarabakula cut down the final 33-man squad for the three games
38:23virimi bakatawa remember him the former france center fijian by birth and by
38:31patronage missed out to samirandrandera in a very close selection call
38:36and i wonder if bakatawa who's been playing for the fijian drua back home this season
38:43will receive a message early in the morning fiji time to get himself on a plane to the uk
38:58so the card of city stadium rises to salute one of the finest players of our time
39:04samirandrandera goes out on his shield
39:09and after that long delay his teammates have to refocus and shore up their defense again
39:19work to try on the line
39:25fiji have made five times as many running meters as wales in this match
39:31wales again are lining up for a drive you can see
39:34eddie james in there hawkins waiting to
39:37the extra muscle and body weight in there adams comes in to help it's rinse and repeat as the red
39:44juggernaut trundles over
39:52that's what they've planned those are the chinks in the fijian armor they've identified
39:58it's another for wales and another for jack morgan
40:04you know what fans watching at home yes it might not be quite as exciting as the try that we've
40:11seen
40:11from fiji however you've got to play this control type of rugby against fiji you play this initially
40:17you get the scoreboard ticking over and in the second half that's when we might see wales start
40:22opening it up and throwing the ball around but right now they've identified an area where they feel
40:27they have the ascendancy they've got to fully utilize that
40:40we're having a rare off day in a welsh shirt with the boots zero from two ten seven it remains
40:50all right again thank you really well organized from a welsh perspective kind of telegraph really you
40:57could see how many players were around it the centers were in there you knew this ball wasn't coming
41:01out it was going forward anything fiji were a little bit slow to react for number to number
41:08Bravo to Amanda slapping it back on the fijian side and Hoyt goes down to grovo for the ball
41:14so wakula i canneberry armstrong ravula salawa a little bit ambitious that time but armstrong ravula is first
41:23to react, Rayasi to Tuisova, wanted to release to Tawain N'Golo.
41:3018 tries and 20 matches for Lyon this season, the winger.
41:38Ironi Maui.
41:43Going back from whence it came, Kaniwere, Rayasi,
41:47a potent tackle from James, but bravo, to Ikaniwere, to Salawa,
41:54the continuity breathtaking, Fiji flying into the breakdown again,
41:58Ikaniwere lost it, all backwards, Wainwright hacking it through,
42:02former footballer, and there's a knock-on from Wales,
42:06Holly Davidson, the assistant referee, came in to alert Owen Cross,
42:12Wainwright was hunted down by Wang N'Golo,
42:15and before a three-a-side game breaks out on the Fijian 22,
42:20Owen Cross has to empty his lungs into his whistle.
42:27Aaron Raymight's going to be livid, he had to run that far
42:29before he found out the whistle had gone.
42:33Lovely touch on the boot from Adam Weenwright,
42:35he was in the Cardiff City Football Academy,
42:37Cardiff City who play their matches here at this very stadium,
42:41second tier of English football, but Holly Davidson there
42:44accomplished the assistant referee from Scotland,
42:48and identified a brush of Welsh fingertips on that ball.
42:58Well, it happened very quickly, didn't it?
43:12Alright.
43:13Trouch.
43:14Yes, now get going, boys.
43:16Let's go, let's go.
43:18It's not for a step.
43:19No, I do not.
43:22Let's go, boys.
43:24Crouch!
43:25Yeah!
43:25Back up!
43:27Bind.
43:28No, I do not.
43:29Come on!
43:30I did not.
43:30Let's go, boys.
43:31So what a platform again for Fiji.
43:35Fanakai Vata with the Fijian goose step.
43:38He's turned Dan Edwards into a piece of roadkill.
43:42Ball is loose, Mayan Avanua goes down on it.
43:47Wait, no, don't play, it's backwards.
43:50Sowokula.
43:52No, six.
43:55Romani, Rabobo.
43:58First thought for these Fijian players is always to find a team-mate,
44:02to free an arm and offload through the hands of Maui Tuti Kaniweri.
44:08Mayan Avanua, Armstrong, Rabobo, Rabobo Kalmanda off his wing.
44:13That Pete Murchie drilled Wales defence standing its ground.
44:17Go, Manny, go. Ice, ice scoring.
44:24Armstrong Rabobo is hitting it Tuti Kaniweri.
44:27Fiji going backwards just now, Jack Morgan on the ball.
44:30Jack Morgan winning the turnover penalty.
44:33That's more like it from Wales, Fiji neutered.
44:38And now Wales playing some unstructured rugby of their own.
44:47And apologies if you heard the foul language, but you can see what that means to Wales.
44:51They have stemmed that Fijian tide.
44:54A little wonder they're so excited about it.
44:56I think any defensive sets that lead to a turnover, especially when it's in Wales' half,
45:03they're going to be celebrated like that because we know how deadly Fiji are
45:06and how ruthless they normally are at scoring.
45:09So if you can negate that with good defence, you've got to celebrate it.
45:13That's going to energise them into their attacking sets.
45:17Yep.
45:18OK, time off.
45:19Jack Morgan there, absolutely brilliant.
45:21See you in the line, Matt?
45:22Part of the tackle, but then he let go, showed his arms, lifted his arms to the referee,
45:26which means he's now not in that tackle, which means he can go back in on the ball.
45:31If he stayed in contact with the player, he wouldn't have been able to have taken the ball.
45:35The penalty count growing against Fiji, so is the injury rate.
45:39Tim Hoyt is down injured, out of shot, and they're sending for the veteran,
45:4536-year-old Benny Rabai, played all over the world.
45:507s as well as 15s, he's a sprightly specimen, his big Penny Rabai.
45:53Sure.
45:55In his debut in 2013, and he is still trucking, 15 years on.
46:03There he is, back home at the Fiji in Drua.
46:05Second season's been a really effective option off the bench for them throughout Super Rugby Pacific.
46:10He's played in France with Clermont, Vaudo Bergler, Oviac,
46:13the Queens and the Reds of Australia, and there he is here in Cardiff.
46:20It's been a staccato last ten minutes or so for Liverpool because of those two sad and apparently serious injuries
46:27to Randrandra and Hoyt.
46:29As a player, particularly as a Fijian player, having seen your momentum stalled, your attack as good as it is,
46:36come unstuck two or three times.
46:38How do you refocus it and go again before half time?
46:42You know what, and I mean this in the most sort of complimentary way in regards to Fiji.
46:47They don't feel too much about momentum.
46:49They are such hit it and go players.
46:52I think it's a lot to do with their 7s background.
46:54You've got seven minutes to play, you just go, go, go.
46:56So they don't rely on territory.
46:59They don't feel they have to play a certain amount of rugby in a certain area to earn the right
47:03to score.
47:04They know they can score from anywhere.
47:06I think what will affect them more is the individual players being injured.
47:10You talk about these players are so well connected.
47:13They literally do call one another brothers.
47:15They are family.
47:16So I would almost say that losing players at injury will cause more effect to their gameplay
47:20than the sort of momentum of the gameplay itself, if that makes sense.
47:29Well, the Fijians who've so entertained us pretty much are still in full song in the stands here in Cardiff.
47:37A fabulous display of Fijian culture all around the footprint of the ground today.
47:44They've had the Bura Huts erected.
47:48They had a full 10-minute extravaganza on the pitch for singing and dancing and drums and music.
47:56Sadly, they've lost the second starter inside 35 minutes.
48:00Hoy off with the aid of that stretcher again.
48:04And Pini Rabai on.
48:17They've been talking a lot about the set piece back in Fiji.
48:19They had the lost their boss George Skivington over on the islands delivering up a coaching workshop for three days
48:25last month.
48:27Coaches at all levels of Fijian rugby.
48:29Picking up his pearls of wisdom around things like this, mauling, line-out defence.
48:34Woodstock!
48:37Use it!
48:38He wasn't going to play here.
48:39Fiji have cocooned it.
48:42Through the seam, please.
48:45Through the seam, please.
48:45Through which, sorry?
48:47Through the seam is what we have on the pitch, OK?
48:51The call I have is that he's broken the seam, so he's allowed to change.
48:59Yes, sir, sorry.
49:05If you've not followed the build-up to these matches and you're wondering why Fiji are playing home games in
49:10Cardiff, Liverpool and Edinburgh,
49:12it's because they don't have a national stadium big enough to satisfy the 25,000-seater regulation for this tournament.
49:20The hope is that the money garnered from these matches that Fiji rugby will earn as the host nation will
49:27go some of the way to bridging the gap,
49:30to building their own ground, to hosting games in 2030.
49:34Pusovac.
49:35Pusovac.
49:35Lomani.
49:36Long, long pass to Rayasi.
49:39Through two tackles.
49:40Offloads to Armstrong, Ravula.
49:42Ravula to Amanda running the arc.
49:44Winding Olo against James.
49:45Beating two, three, four Welshmen.
49:48Swaggering all across Cardiff.
49:50Didn't give the pass to Tanaka Ibata.
49:53Does now to Soakula.
49:54They're queuing up here, Fiji.
49:56Armstrong, Ravula gets caught.
49:59Lomani to Rayasi.
50:00He sees a gap open up.
50:02Goes thundering through it.
50:07Lomani, Tanaka Ibata, Soakula.
50:10Dropped it.
50:12Knocked on again in the 22 by Fiji.
50:15And Wales, through Eddie James, take the smart option.
50:19And asks Fiji to go again from 60.
50:22Arms from Ravula.
50:24Through the dummy.
50:25Be careful not to get isolated.
50:28Rabobo's calling for this.
50:29Here he goes.
50:30What magic can he conjure?
50:32Tackle!
50:34How'd you work?
50:38Breakdown is a ferocious contest today.
50:41Wales through Jack Morgan and company.
50:43Feeling their way into it.
50:44Slowing down Fijian ball.
50:46Armstrong, Ravula.
50:48Slicey up and under.
50:50Salawa and Kuisova waiting.
50:51Kuisova took it unchallenged.
50:57Womani digs it out.
50:59Wayasi to Armstrong, Ravula.
51:01Rabobo took his eye, I think.
51:03Wales advantage.
51:05Only the scrum.
51:09Things breaking down for Fiji.
51:14It's hit a Wales fair at the meantime.
51:19I think it's come off a Wales fair before going there,
51:22so you'll just stick with the scrum.
51:25.
51:30I think your head and shoulders can be in a better position also,
51:33so you stay up and I can watch what he does as well.
51:37The last two scrubs we all have had.
51:39I think we can both have a better height than that last one, agree?
51:42In this area, the pitch, they've won the penalty,
51:44they've kicked to the corner, they've scored the try.
51:55Dylan Lewis, back in the Wales team after a two-year absence,
51:58done his time at Harlequins, back with the Dragons in Newport.
52:03Six Nations 20-24, the most recent of his 57 caps.
52:11Kari going hard into Penny Ravai.
52:14Again, the Fiji Strong is crumbled.
52:17This is the blueprint for Wales.
52:21Big moment now for Wales, two minutes before half-time,
52:24kick to the corner, see what sort of dominance they can show here.
52:30Score just before half-time would be huge for Wales.
52:47I understand you can be frustrated, but just don't shut me in my face.
52:50It's the whole partnership, they're not just you.
52:52Who's up, who's up?
52:55Let's go, Wales!
52:56Five.
53:01Scrum shearing off as Fiji.
53:03Walk round under the pressure.
53:05Jack Morgan with two tries under his belt already.
53:09Each the product of a rolling surging maul.
53:15They'll be eyeing a hat-trick.
53:20Two outs, two away!
53:22Pekaneberi ordered out of them all.
53:24Williams is going to play.
53:25Hawkins melted.
53:26Wai Ningolo got him.
53:27Thomas Williams is in trouble.
53:29And Fiji have bullied them off the ball.
53:32And there's a lot of white jerseys off to the right.
53:34Wai Ningolo swaggering away.
53:36Adam's got the touch.
53:38Rabotamanda keeps playing.
53:40Rabobo.
53:41Rayasi against Reed Samet who's too quick.
53:45Rayasi still going into the 22.
53:48Edwards holds him up.
53:50Wales lock onto the ball.
53:51Fiji have gone 80 metres before you blinked an eyelid.
53:57Lomani.
53:58Nasilasil.
54:02Armstrong Ragula reloading to the right.
54:05He can't bury it to his fly half.
54:06Penalty advantage, Fiji.
54:08Rabobo.
54:10He found Tanakaevata.
54:12That was a score.
54:13Rayasi.
54:16Seems to have so much time on the ball.
54:18Selesi Rayasi.
54:20Wai Ningolo.
54:21Mori gets to him.
54:23Rabobo in to protect.
54:25Ikaneweri.
54:27Tanakaevata.
54:29Ikaneweri again.
54:30Knock-on from Wales.
54:32They've got a choice of scrum or penalty, Fiji.
54:38It's just unbelievable how tides can change so quickly.
54:42Wales looking like they were going to finish this first half
54:45in a dominant position, pinning Fiji back,
54:47applying pressure, going for points,
54:49whereas now one quick turnover.
54:51The metres Fiji can make,
54:54and it's all because of their collisions.
54:56When they take contact,
54:57Wales have to go backwards
54:59because Fiji find gaps with their footwork.
55:02They never run directly into a player.
55:03They run at their arms,
55:05which means they get in behind.
55:06That then leads to a quick work,
55:08or even better,
55:09it leads to an offload,
55:10which keeps the play going so quickly,
55:13and has Wales just absolutely scrambling.
55:17The final kick of the half belongs
55:19to the 22-year-olds,
55:21the biggest day of his Test career.
55:23The nephew of the great all-black,
55:25Ritchie Maunga,
55:27Anseya Armstrong,
55:28Ravula.
55:30A shot to never things out.
55:36I just swear violently,
55:38but the flags are raised.
55:41It mightn't be the highest scoring of encounters.
55:44We mightn't have seen a tri-deluge the like of which we witnessed
55:48in Christchurch and Sydney already,
55:51but boy oh boy,
55:53has this been one compelling old contest.
55:55The penachte.
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