Seven-try Fiji blow Georgia away

Fiji registered their first victory of the 2019 Rugby World Cup when they beat Georgia 45-10 in their Pool D encounter in Higashiosaka on Thursday.

After losing their two previous matches against Australia and Uruguay, there was plenty of pressure on John McKee’s troops but they were full value for their win as they dominated most facets of play.

The match kicked off with heavy rain pelting down but despite the atrocious weather conditions, the Pacific Islanders stayed true to their attacking roots, although they had little reward initially.  The rain subsided as the match progressed and they eventually outscored their opponents by seven tries to one.

Semi Radradra was his team’s hero as he scored a brace of tries and set up three other five-pointers.  Waisea Nayacalevu, Frank Lomani, Josua Tuisova, Semi Kunatani and Apisalome Ratuniyarawa also crossed the whitewash while Ben Volavola succeeded with five conversions.

For Georgia, Mamuka Gorgodze scored a try and Soso Matiashvili added a conversion and a penalty.

The Lelos had a chance to open the scoring in the 15th minute when Kunatani was penalised for an illegal hit on Giorgi Tkhilaishvili but Matiashvili was off target with his shot at goal.

That proved a costly miss as five minutes later Fiji took the lead in spectacular fashion.  This, after Volavola stabbed a teasing grubber kick through just inside Georgia’s half and Radradra gathered the ball brilliantly close to the left-hand touchline before throwing an inside pass to Nayacalevu, who outsprinted the cover defence on his way over the try-line.

That score seemed to jolt Georgia into life as they upped the ante on attack after that and they were soon camped inside Fiji’s half.

In the 33rd minute, the Lelos launched a brilliant attack from close to their try-line and after several phases, they found themselves deep inside Fiji territory.  They were unlucky not be rewarded for their efforts, however, when Giorgi Nemsadze lost the ball while crossing the whitewash.

Fiji’s backs had strayed offside in the build-up to that effort and Matiashvili slotted the resulting penalty which meant the teams changed sides at half-time with the Pacific Islanders holding a slender 7-3 lead.

FT: @fijirugby 45 @GeorgianRugby 10

Semi Radradra double helped Fiji to a 35 point win over Georgia. #GEOvFIJ #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/mJyDDhP9co

— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) October 3, 2019

Fiji were fastest out of the blocks in the second period and six minutes after the restart Tuisova and Radradra combined brilliantly before the latter offloaded to Lomani, who crossed for his side’s second try.

Five minutes later, Radradra joined the Fiji line at pace and drew in the defence before offloading to Tuisova close to the right-hand touchline.  The burly wing still had work to do but beat the last defender with ease and crossed for a deserved try.

Despite those setbacks, Georgia came back strongly and in the 53rd minute Gorgodze showed great power and determination before dotting down from close range.  Matiashvili added the extras but that would be the last time the Lelos would score points as Fiji dominated the rest of the match with Radradra leading the onslaught.

In the 61st minute a superb back-line move, after a scrum close to Georgia’s 10-metre line, created space for Radradra out wide and he showed his class to outpace the cover defence before crossing for his side’s bonus-point try.

That score knocked the wind out of Georgia’s sails as it was all Fiji during the game’s final quarter.

Kunatani and Ratuniyarawa crossed the whitewash in quick succession before Radradra sealed the win with his second try in the game’s closing stages.

The scorers:

For Georgia:
Try:  Gorgodze
Con:  Matiashvili
Pen:  Matiashvili

For Fiji:
Tries:  Nayacalevu, Lomani, Tuisova, Radradra 2, Kunatani, Ratuniyarawa
Cons:  Volavola 5

Georgia:  15 Soso Matiashvili, 14 Giorgi Kveseladze, 13 David Kacharava, 12 Merab Sharikadze (c), 11 Alexander Todua, 10 Lasha Khmaladze, 9 Vasil Lobzhanidze, 8 Beka Gorgadze, 7 Mamuka Gorgodze, 6 Giorgi Tkhilaishvili, 5 Konstantine Mikautadze, 4 Giorgi Nemsadze, 3 Beka Gigashvili, 2 Shalva Mamukashvili, 1 Mikheil Nariashvili
Replacements:  16 Jaba Bregvadze, 17 Guram Gogichashvili, 18 Levan Chilachava, 19 Otari Giorgadze, 20 Beka Saginadze, 21 Gela Aprasidze, 22 Lasha Malaguradze, 23 Miriani Modebadze

Fiji:  15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 Josua Tuisova, 13 Waisea Nayacalevu, 12 Levani Botia, 11 Semi Radradra, 10 Ben Volavola, 9 Frank Lomani, 8 Peceli Yato, 7 Semi Kunatani, 6 Dominiko Waqaniburotu (c), 5 Leone Nakarawa, 4 Tevita Cavubati, 3 Manasa Saulo, 2 Samuel Matavesi, 1 Campese Ma’afu
Replacements:  16 Tuvere Vugakoto, 17 Eroni Mawi, 18 Peni Ravai, 19 Apisalome Ratuniyarawa, 20 Viliame Mata, 21 Nikola Matawalu, 22 Jale Vatubua, 23 Josh Matavesi

Referee:  Paul Williams (New Zealand)
Assistant referees:  Jaco Peyper (South Africa), Matthew Carley (England)
TMO:  Graham Hughes (England)