VENUE: STADE DE LA BEAUJOIRE

CROWD: 38000

CONDITIONS: FINE

REFEREE: STUART DICKINSON

WALES 34 (10) v (25) 38 FIJI

SCORERS:

Pen: Stephen Jones (5th); 3-0

Try: Akapusi Qera (16th); 3-5

Con: Nicky Little (17th); 3-7

Try: Vilimone Delasau (19th); 3-12

Pen: Little (21st); 3-15

Pen: Little (24th); 3-18

Try: Ifereimi Rawaqa (25th); 3-23

Con: Little (26th); 3-25

Try: Alix Popham (34th); 8-25

Con: James Hook (36th); 10-25

Try: Shane Williams (45th); 15-25

Con: Hook (46th); 17-25

Try: Gareth Thomas (48th); 22-25

Try: Mark Jones (51st); 27-25

Con: S Jones (52nd); 29-25

Pen: Little (54th); 29-28

Pen: Little (60th); 29-31

Try: Martyn Williams (73rd); 34-31

Try: Senikavika Leawere (75th); 34-36

Con: Little (78th); 34-38

STATISTICS:

Scrums - WAL 8 feeds = 8 wins, FIJ 4 feeds = 2 wins

Line-outs - WAL 11 feeds = 9 wins, FIJ 11 feeds = 10 wins

Rucks/Mauls - WAL 52, FIJ 94

Turnovers - WAL 6, FIJ 6

Handling errors - WAL 3, FIJ 5

Penalties - WAL 14, FIJ 7

Free kicks - WAL 2, FIJ 0

Shots at Goal - WAL (4/8), FIJ (6/8)

Yellow cards - Akapusi Qera (40th)

Red cards -

PLAYER ANALYSIS:

Best Front-ranker: Gethin Jenkins (1)

Best Second-rower: Alun-Wyn Jones (4)

Best Back-rower: Colin Charvis (6)

Best Half-back: Mosese Rauluni (9)

Best Mid-fielder: Seru Rabeni (13)

Best at the Back: Vilimone Delasau (14)

CONCLUSION:

Friday night (England v Tonga) was a little disappointing. It was the first of 4 "Sudden Death" games. In the end England coasted to victory. Game 2 though was thrilling. The Test itself produced 9 tries. Through the contest the game was won and lost by both sides continuously throughout the fixture. Initially it looked as if Wales had little to worry about as they certainly had a strangle hold on the game in the opening 10 minutes. Yet when Fiji did get ball in hand they scored 25 points in 10 minutes. Wales were their own worst enemy in this department. In the opening half they never stationed defenders around the fringes of the rucks. It was ridiculous how easy the Fijian forwards would break away from loose-play encounters. After the carnage (25 points in the 10 minutes) Wales were rattled, they started making poor decisions and trying to force openings. After half-time though the Dragon started to breathe fire! They wiped out the deficit in just 12 minutes and re-took the lead. It really did look as though Wales would squeak it once Martyn Williams scored an intercept try, yet amazingly Fiji fought back and claimed a berth in the quarter-finals. I felt that Referee Dickinson had a poor outing. There was so many late and especially high tackles which weren't at times punished ruthlessly enough I felt. There was, at times, grounds for more than just the single Yellow Card. Another thing I felt he missed on numerous occasions was Welsh forward passes, one that led to a Welsh try!