Key events
62 mins: Play resumes with Australia stealing Fijian lineout ball on their defensive 22. White and Donaldson are the new halves pairing for the Wallabies.
61 mins: Lolesio leaves the field on the medicart wearing a neck brace. Hopefully any injury is not too serious.
60 mins: Meanwhile, Lolesio is in some trouble on the turf. He was involved in the attack that broke down preceding Fiji’s near-miss. His ankle seemed to be caught under his body as he was wrestled to the ground, but there’s also a suggestion he might have hurt his neck. There’s a not insignificant delay while he is being treated by team doctors.
59 mins: Wilson busts through the defensive line after a lovely pass from McReight – but the Wallabies lose the ball on the ground and Fiji kick clear. Potter mops up in his right corner, but then throws the ball infield to an isolated Frost. That is a hospital pass. Fiji swarm all over the big Wallaby and feast on the turnover. THey have bodies galore on the right in support. The ball goes through hands and Maqala has the honours of stepping inside a couple of tacklers to extend Fiji’s lead!
But wait… more TMO action to come. OH NO! At the very start of that attacking phase Potter’s studs grazed the touchline fielding that initial clearing kick! Australia with a HUGE let-off.
56 mins: That was a thing of broken-field beauty – and after dominating the first half, the Wallabies find themselves behind!
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 14-15 Fiji (Tagitagivalu 55)
Oh my. Fiji win a lineout just inside their own half on the right and go through hands to the left. An awful pass to a crooked line goes to ground forcing Wainiqolo to mop up. Then he cuts infield and waltzes past Slipper. Then he breaks through two tacklers in the line. He can’t, can he? He can! Belting into space like a spooked thoroughbred Wainiqolo shakes his hips and sends Wright to the deck. This is incredible! A gold jersey emerges from stage right – what will the No 11 do? He sends a Harbour Bridge of a pass over his right shoulder to the rampaging Tagitagivalu in support and the big back rower touches down for a memorable try!
Muntz again flirts with the right-hand upright as he curls Fiji into the lead!
54 mins: The lineout looks textbook, but as the maul forms Brousset, who has main character energy, blows for an obstruction. And then…
53 mins: Excellent maul from Australia off the back of a lineout just inside Fiji’s half. Phase play is slow but there’s an advantage on it for Matavesi playing off his feet. The Wallabies kick to the left corner to see if they can recreate that early pushover try.
52 mins: The interchange is starting to roll as we hit the final half hour.
PENALTY! Australia 14-8 Fiji (Muntz 51)
Muntz, from 40m out, just to the right of the posts, kicks Fiji to within a converted try, with a penalty that ricochets over off the inside of the right upright.
50 mins: Fiji execute the scrum on their own 22 then shift the ball from left to right before Rayasi straightens up. There’s a breakdown advantage for the visitors as they head back infield and play is eventually recalled. Fiji will kick for goal.
Wallabies denied try because of forward pass
48 mins: The Wallaby pack is industrious just inside Fiji’s half and eventually there’s a quick enough ruck for the ball to be spun from left to right. The hands are crisp, again especially from Lolesio and Suaalii, to allow Potter to stand up his opposite number. He chips and chases, the bounce is in his favour, and Jorgensen gathers and slides over in one move! The Wallabies have looked very very dangerous when they get front foot ball in the backs.
But hang on … the TMO wants to check something. Was there a forward pass in the build-up? It looks like the final pass from Wright to Potter was a good couple of metres forward. It takes the TMO an absolute age to make a decision before determining there was an infringement. Disappointment for the home fans, but it was the correct decision.
46 mins: Fiji get rare flow from an attacking lineout and have momentum 20m out cutting infield from the right. Ravouvou punctures the line, then with opportunity knocking there’s the latest in a series of dreadful handling errors. Australia have grown at the scrum and safe ball allows McDermott to set off a move down the right that moves from a clearing run to an attacking chip and chase when Potter dinks the ball in to the right corner. Fiji scramble in defence but they’re soon on the backfoot just inside their own half.
45 mins: A routine set-piece allows McDermott to kick clear but he doesn’t find touch. Fiji run the ball back from their own half but they’re clumsy in possession and Australia can counter. Everything grinds to a halt on halfway so McDermott launches a garryowen that Muntz marks beautifully. Fiji attacking ball is slow so they go to the boot quickly. Australia try the chargedown but the charger is offside.
43 mins: Another set-piece lecture from referee Brousset precedes a Fijian lineout on attacking 22. It’s secured, then knocked-on, scrum Australia.
42 mins: It remains a glorious winter afternoon in Newcastle as Fiji secure the restart, grind through a couple of phases, then box kick over halfway. Australia respond by going through hands from right to left but Jorgensen is isolated trying to straighten up and Fiji win a breakdown penalty.
Second half begins
The teams are back out for the second half.
Porecki out of the game
Porecki has failed his HIA and will not return for the second half.
Half-time: Australia 14-5 Fiji
The Wallabies head to the break with a two try to one advantage over Fiji. There has been plenty to like with ball in hand from Australia, but as a contest it’s been hard going with so many set-pieces and a stack of time being taken out of the game from scrum resets and lectures.
TRY! Australia 14-5 Fiji (Rayasi 40)
Out of nowhere, Fiji strike back! With the half-time siren already blown, Australia kick to a contest just over halfway, but it comes down in white hands. That sparks classic Fijian broken field multi-phase attacking with rolling contests inside Australian territory until Rayasi has a sniff of the line in the left corner – and he takes three gold jerseys with him before reaching out and touching down! Instinctive attacking rugby from the visitors and a superb finish from the fullback on debut.
The touchline conversion attempt is narrowly wide of the nearside post.
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 14-0 Fiji (McReight 39)
Australia have a second try – and it’s that centre combination to the fore. Wilson and Frost do the grunt work in the guts then Lolesio is patient to find Ikitau on his left shoulder. The Wallabies have momentum, the Fijian defence is retreating, and Ikitau offloads to Suaalii, who barely touches the ball in a superb catch-and-pass to McReight. The flanker could make one more pass to seal the score, but opts to go instead, straightens up and crosses. That is the try the Wallabies have been building towards all game.
38 mins: Australia go from left to right deep in their own half off the scrum and Potter charges towards halfway before kicking ahead for Wright to chase. Fiji win that contest and set up decent field position, only to spill another awful unenforced knock-on. Australia kick again to that right corner, this time for Potter to chase, but the Fijian scramble defence is there in the nick of time.
36 mins: Still the Fijians come and after going through hands to the right Ravouvou chips and chases ahead. He runs straight into the nearest gold jersey and his teammates are furious there’s no penalty forthcoming, but the defender didn’t change his line. Instead, it’s a scrum to the Wallabies after the kick goes dead.
35 mins: Fiji run towards the gold defence a couple more times before accepting their fate and kicking, but they are now firmly in this contest, even if they lack penetration.
32 mins: Fiji are finally starting to come to life, returning the kick down the right, then moving to the left with some urgency. Then Ikanivere drops a simple pass and we’re back to the scrum do-si-do. Set; lecture; camera cutaway to a couple of prime ministers; reset … Finally McDermott can set an attack away down the left and again there’s the Australian pattern of kicking early in the phase behind the winger towards the corner. Fiji mop up and try to pass their way from right to left but don’t account for Suaalii’s phenomenal defensive coverage and he nails a white jersey under the posts. The visitors retain their composure and clear.
31 mins: Much of the playing time this afternoon has been spent packing, repacking, and penalising scrums. The latest takes part 20m out from Australia’s try line and ends with Lolesio larruping a mighty clearing kick.
29 mins: Gleeson gets caught on the wrong side of a breakdown and Fiji kick to attacking 22 for the first time this afternoon. Their lineout throw is not straight.
If you’re new to rugby, this is not the game for you to become instantly enamoured with the sport.
28 mins: Good news for Australia that Slipper’s day might not be over. He left the field for an HIA not his shoulder injury, and he has passed that test. Bad news for Australia that Porecki is now leaving the field for an HIA of his own.
27 mins: Ikitau, McReight, Porecki, Bell, all carry strongly into the line. Bell then slots Wilson through a tiny gap before he’s hauled down. Phase seven and Australia are inside the 22 but space is narrowing on the right edge and Fiji have bodies around the breakdown. Can the Wallabies maintain their composure? Nope. Gleeson is pinged for a lifting tackle at the contest by the touch judge.
24 mins: Better lineout from the Wallabies and Ikitau can burst off it into the line. A couple of slow phases in the corridor end with Australia going through hands to the left again, but there’s no tempo and Ikitau ends up kicking off-balance. Fiji get the better of a kicking exchange and begin a drive on halfway. They’re making very little ground at the contest and they have no speed at the ruck and it’s little surprise when the Wallabies are awarded a turnover penalty.
23 mins: The lineout is not thrown in straight. Fiji secure the scrum penalty and kick 40m clear on their right.
22 mins: Australia get into their running off the back of the lineout, again looking to get to Jorgensen as early as possible. His direct running along the line has been a real threat. A couple of slower attacking phases ends with a breakdown penalty and a kick to a 5m lineout.
20 mins: Now it’s a Fijian scrum penalty, to the understanding of seemingly nobody but referee Brousset. Five phases travel nowhere so the box kick over halfway creates an element of unpredictability as wingers collide. Wright kicks long, returned in kind by his opposite number, and we’re back to a halfway set-piece. Very rugby areas.
18 mins: Fiji’s scrum holds out 5m from its own line. Mata then hits the line hard to create a safe kicking opportunity behind him. The ball is booted 30m away, then Australia throw an awful lineout ball that allows Fiji to run to halfway. They make good ground on the right, but then when they try to head back infield the passing and handling is shambolic and after one knock-on is miraculously averted a second follows near-immediately.
16 mins: Glorious set-piece try from Australia! Or not. Wilson peels off the scrum, offloads to McDermott, and it goes through hands to the right where it’s catch and pass until Potter dives over in the corner. That is textbook rugby. Apart from the final pass, which is called for drifting forward.
Meanwhile Slipper is replaced and his Lions series must now be in doubt.
14 mins: Another scrum penalty goes against Fiji after a couple of minutes are spent setting and resetting the set-piece. McDermott is again quick to snipe from the restart and after cutting to the right Wright dribbles a kick in behind that goes into touch 5m from the line. Fiji secure lineout ball but as play moves infield the clearing kick is charged down by Frost and the bouncing ball is knocked on by a white jersey. A1 attacking set-piece opportunity for the Wallabies, but behind play James Slipper is struggling with a shoulder injury.
12 mins: Another scrum penalty to Australia denies Fiji a good attacking opportunity, but Lolesio doesn’t make touch with his free-kick. Some aerial ping-pong ensues before Wainiqolo runs into the home defensive and supplies quick ball just inside his own half. But a forward pass is identified and this stop-start contest stops again.
11 mins: Australia go coast to coast from left to right on their 22 but when it reaches Suaalii he’s crunched by Mata, and when the second body joins the tackle the ball spills loose.
CONVERTED TRY! Australia 7-0 Fiji (Porecki 9)
The lineout is crisp. The maul is a forest of pounding pistons. The push-over try is inevitable. And it’s the returning Porecki who emerges from the mass of gold with the ball. Lolesio makes a difficult conversion look easy.
Superb start for the Wallabies.
8 mins: Fiji are penalised at the set-piece. McDermott darts down the short side and gets held up five metres from the line. Gleeson picks and goes and is held up over the line! Fiji were offside so the Wallabies kick for a 5m lineout…
6 mins: Fiji win their own scrum feed midway inside their half on the right and kick to halfway. Wright runs the ball back strongly, then Suaalii hits the line hard. It’s all a bit splintered and chaotic, but the Wallabies like it that way. Lolesio sends the ball to the left again and a couple more pairs of hands touch it before Jorgensen does well to scoop up an offload from his bootlaces. This is not textbook Test rugby but it is earning Australia good yardage – until a knock-on gifts Fiji a scrum.
4 mins: The Wallabies regroup and pilfer the first lineout throw of the day and boot clear. Fiji kick to halfway. Australia get into their phase play in the middle of the pitch then go through hands sharply to the left with some very crisp hands from Lolesio and Suaalii in particular. The ball bobbles nicely for Jorgensen to drive down the left touchline but he’s hauled in and the Wallabies reset. The ball is then lofted dangerously to the right corner for Potter to contest, but the contested aerial contest ends Fiji’s way and they can run a counter back to halfway.
An inventive start from Australia, on both flanks.
2 mins: Australia secure the kick-off safely with Gleeson. It’s a slow breakdown and McDermott box kicks down the line. Jorgensen steams after it but knocks-on in the air on halfway. Fiji then earn a scrum penalty from the afternoon’s first set-piece with Alaalatoa breaking early.
Kick-off!
Pierre Brousset blows his whistle, and Australia v Fiji is under way…
Anthems sung, the hands of dignitaries shaken, Country welcomed, now it’s time for the Fijian Cibi.
Albo is famously a massive South Sydney fan, and his team was stiffed by Suaalii at the start of his NRL career when the then teenager ended with arch-rivals Sydney Roosters after looking destined for Souths.
Prime ministers in attendance
The two teams are out much earlier than usual because they are being received by the prime minsters of the competing nations, Anthony Albanese and Sitiveni Rabuka.
Weather report
It’s sunny, warm, dry and still in Newcastle this afternoon, which is something of a miracle considering the weather that has hit the east coast recently. There is the possibility the breeze might pick up later, and even blow a shower through, but for now conditions are set fair.
Suaalii breaks from his team once they’re all on the turf to go to the stands and kiss a couple of people – the latter presumably his girlfriend. It was the kind of performative action that draws attention to a player.
Out stride the two teams, side by side, accompanied by mascots. The visitors are wearing white jerseys and black shorts, the hosts are wearing their First Nations jersey, which is predominately gold, with green accents to match the green shorts.
Angus Fontaine puts it all into context for the Wallabies.
Adventurous attack. Bone-rattling defence. Mistakes punished and opportunities seized. Get in the enemy’s faces and bring the crowd into the contest from the get-go. A ragtag NSW Waratahs gave Joe Schmidt’s Wallabies a bold blueprint for how to dismantle the British & Irish Lions in the first Test on 19 July.
But of most significance was an unconvincing performance from the British & Irish Lions against the NSW Waratahs in Sydney.
Robert Kitson has the match report and some quotes from coach Andy Farrell.
There’s been no shortage of Test rugby already this weekend, including New Zealand edging France, South Africa proving too good for Italy, Ireland seeing off Georgia, and Wales slumping an incredible 18th consecutive Test defeat – this time to Japan.
England also won impressively away to Argentina.
How good are Fiji?
Unflatteringly you might call them the best of the rest. More favourably you could say Fiji are a gentle nudge away from joining the top tier.
Last year they hammered Samoa, Tonga, and Japan, edged Wales in Cardiff, and suffered heavy defeats to Ireland, Scotland, and the All Blacks.
Twelve squad members play in France’s Top-14, five in England’s Premiership, so the individual talent is there. And with Fijian Drua establishing themselves in Super Rugby, the future looks bright.
The past couple of decades have been a series of false dawns for Wallabies fans. The latest bright spot on the horizon is the athletic figure of Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii. Angus Fontaine has more.
Fiji XV lineup
Mick Byrne has made eight changes to his starting 15. Simione Kuruvoli has replaced Frank Lomani in the No 9 shirt while Bristol Bears loose forward Bill Mata starts at No 8, shifting Elia Canakaivata to the openside.
Fijian Drua’s Iosefo Masi and Racing 92 centre Josua Tuisova offer a powerful midfield foil to the Australian duo of Suaalii and Ikitau.
Fullback Salesi Rayasi, and interchange Philip Baselala are in line to make their international debuts this afternoon. Rayasi, who made 50 appearances for the Wellington Hurricanes in Super Rugby before moving to RC Vannes last year, was a member of New Zealand’s sevens squads between 2018-20, before he switched allegiance to Fiji to honour his heritage.
“He’s pretty excited, obviously,” Byrne said. “Very accomplished player, very skilful. I like the way he’s been training. He works very hard off the field as well, understanding his role. That’s been very pleasing so I’m looking forward to him being able to go out there on Sunday and show everybody his worthiness of a white jersey.”
Fiji: 1. Eroni Mawi, 2. Tevita Ikanivere (capt), 3. Peni Ravai, 4. Isoa Nasilasila, 5. Temo Mayanavanua, 6. Lekima Tagitagivalu, 7. Elia Canakaivata, 8. Bill Mata, 9. Simione Kuruvoli, 10. Caleb Muntz, 11. Jiuta Wainiqolo, 12. Josua Tuisova, 13. Iosefo Masi, 14. Kalaveti Ravouvou, 15. Salesi Rayasi; Substitutes: 16. Sam Matavesi, 17. Haereiti Hetet, 18. Mesake Doge, 19. Mesake Vocevoce, 20. Albert Tuisue, 21. Philip Baselala, 22. Isaiah Ravula, 23. Sireli Maqala.
Australia XV lineup
Former captain David Porecki returns after two years in the wilderness to complete a vastly experienced front row, although behind him Will Skelton and Rob Valetini are both missing with calf injuries.
In a dynamic-looking backline, Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has recovered from a broken jaw for his first Test on home soil, and his centre partnership with Len Ikitau is full of power, pace, and potential. Whether that potential can be unlocked rests on the shoulders of starting five-eighth Noah Lolesio. Five years and 30 caps into his international career, the jury remains out on the Brumby.
Wallabies: 1. James Slipper, 2. David Porecki, 3. Allan Alaalatoa, 4. Nick Frost, 5. Jeremy Williams, 6. Langi Gleeson, 7. Fraser McReight, 8. Harry Wilson (c), 9. Tate McDermott, 10. Noah Lolesio, 11. Max Jorgensen, 12. Len Ikitau, 13. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 14. Harry Potter, 15. Tom Wright; Substitutes: 16. Billy Pollard, 17. Angus Bell, 18. Zane Nonggorr, 19. Tom Hooper, 20. Carlo Tizzano, 21. Nic White, 22. Ben Donaldson, 23. Filipo Daugunu.
Angus Fontaine has more background on this group of Wallabies. Crucially, they are reducing their errors, but worryingly, they still lack a decisive playmaker.
That Wallabies identity – typically, tough running rugby played with flair and guile – is yet to be established by a backline conductor at 10 a la Mark Ella, Stephen Larkham or Beale. Jones had anointed the cavalier Carter Gordon, then 22, at the 2023 World Cup but that disaster so traumatised “Flash” that he signed with the National Rugby League soon afterward.
Instead, Australia’s most likely mojo man is Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, the 21-year-old prodigy once lost to the NRL but now re-signed at great expense to front Australia’s charge to the home 2027 World Cup. Suaalii’s spectacular gifts were on show in November against England at Twickenham where his power in contact and dexterity in the air resulted in four offloads, two try‑assists and three won kick-offs in a famous 42-37 victory – a dervish debut to match that of the vaunted Henry Pollock.
Preamble
Jonathan Howcroft
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of Australia v Fiji from McDonald Jones Stadium. Kick-off in Newcastle is 1:30pm AEST.
The Wallabies take the field for the first time this year in what is their one and only warm-up fixture ahead of three Tests against the British & Irish Lions. There is a lot riding on this rare trip to the Hunter region.
“It’s almost like speed dating,” coach Joe Schmidt explained during his squad announcement, “trying to get these guys together as good as we can to try to build some combinations; front-rowers wouldn’t like that reference would they – it’s slippery ground,” he said.
“Sunday will be a little bit of the unknown but we hopefully we recognise a few things about how we want to play and recognise some good performances from the players.”
With so long between drinks it’s impossible to ascertain form, but Australia under Schmidt seem to be trending gently in the right direction. The final half-dozen matches of 2024 included victories on tour in Wales and England, as well as narrow defeats to Scotland and New Zealand.
The problem is the Wallabies are coming from a long way back, with the nadir of the 2023 Eddie Jones World Cup still fresh in the memory. The clearest illustration of this is on the world rankings with today’s fixture pitting eighth vs ninth. The last time these sides met Fiji came out on top – but that was during the era of the Jones-time massacres.
With the Lions already four matches into their preparation, with two more still to come, there’s a lot riding on the next 80 minutes of Test rugby.
