07/04/26 11:12:00
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07/04 11:11 CDT Fiji dazzle early and Wales finish strong in Nations
Championship win in Cardiff
Fiji dazzle early and Wales finish strong in Nations Championship win in Cardiff
CARDIFF, Wales (AP) --- Fiji dazzled early and Wales finished strong to prevail
39-24 in the Nations Championship on Saturday and win consecutive matches for
the first time in three years.
Wales didn't earn any style points. Its six tries included three from lineout
drives, one from a tryline ruck, one from an attacking scrum, and another
stolen by Josh Adams.
But Wales got points for heart and workrate and continued improvement on 2024
when it didn't win a match.
The Fijians blew away Wales in the first half, racking up 469 meters to Wales'
66, and 25 offloads to Wales' none. But their brilliance in front of a crowd of
16,456 at 33,000-seat Cardiff City Stadium wasn't underlined by points.
It cost Fiji, considered the home side and playing 16,000 kilometers from its
real home to try and make some money.
From 10-10 at halftime, Wales scored two tries in two minutes through prop Rhys
Carre and Adams, who chased a speculative kick into the Fiji in-goal. Fiji's
Selestino Ravutaumada was nursing the rolling ball when Adams reached between
his legs and touched it down for a try.
Ravutaumada responded with Fiji's third try, a simple overlap, to trail by a
point but Wales had the nous and the wherewithal to finish strong and score in
a lineout drive to replacement hooker Ryan Elias and from scrum ball to center
Eddie James.
The first half was lit up by Fiji's brilliance, marred only by a
serious-looking leg injury to center Semi Radradra.
Fiji scored within three minutes through flanker Pita-Gus Sowakula and somehow
it was Fiji's only try. So many chances were created but the last pass didn't
connect.
Meanwhile, Wales scored twice from lineout drives to flanker Jac Morgan,
playing his first test since a shoulder injury in November. It was substance
over style.
Next weekend, Wales is in Argentina and Fiji hosts England in Liverpool.
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AP rugby: https://apnews.com/hub/rugby
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