Under - 20 wallop Samoans
Koli Sewabu coached- side promoted to next June’s World Rugby U20 Championship
After four years the Vodafone Fijian Under-20 rugby team have been promoted to play in next year’s top tier World Rugby Under-20 Championship in Argentina. This was after the Fijians walloped Samoa 58-8 in the second tier final of the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Bucharest, Romania, yesterday. Fiji Rugby Union chief executive officer John O’Connor said he was proud of the team’s achievement.
The development pathway set by the Fiji Rugby Union has finally bore fruits when the Vodafone Fijian Under-20 side thrashed Samoa 58-8 in the final of the World Rugby U20 Trophy in Bucharest, Romania, yesterday.
The win means the promotion of the Fijian U20 side to play in next year’s World Rugby U20 Championship in Argentina.
“It’s been after four years,” said FRU chief executive officer John O’Connor.
“We’re starting to bear the fruits of all the investment, commitment and sacrifice we’ve put into the developments works.
“We are proud of the players and team management for their hard work and also their families, villages and the people of Fiji for their support.”
He said the team had been preparing from last year under head coach, Koli Sewabu who is assisted by Kele Leawere and Sireli Bobo. “I’ve been proud of the team’s performance,” he added.
RUTHLESS IN ATTACK
Inspired by fullback Nabetelevu Turaganivalu and centres Vilimoni Botitu and Ilikena Vudogo, Fiji were irrepressible in attack as they ruthlessly capitalised on basic Samoan errors, of which there were many, to put the two-time champions to the sword.
According to World Rugby Samoa’s lack of patience in attack and high turnover rate hurt them badly and Fiji could even afford to lose a man to the sin-bin in each half as they recorded the biggest win in the history of U20 Trophy finals.
Turaganivalu set up Botitu for the first try and then scored himself, after hitting a great line from deep, as Fiji racked up a 14-0 lead despite playing with 14 men.
The long striding Turaganivalu added a penalty to his two conversions before Samoa finally got on the scoreboard when Simon Toleafoa punished a Fijian high tackle with three points from the kicking tee.
With five minutes of the half to go, Meli Turagaca squeezed over in the corner to make Samoa’s task that much harder and atone for his earlier yellow card.
The expected second-half onslaught from 2011 and 2016 winners Samoa failed to materialise and Fiji soon scored again, through Botitu, to have one hand firmly on the trophy. Scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli sniped over from close range to make the score 34-3 before Viliame Rokobuli used his power to bump off three would-be defenders on his way to the line.
Fellow winger Tira Patterson then spent 10 minutes on the sidelines for another high tackle but, still, Samoa could not find a way through.
A brilliant solo effort from Vudogo added to Samoa’s woes but they did get a consolation five minutes from time when back-row Anthony Shammah-Solomona, one of their brightest performers on the day, charged down the right flank and forced his way over.
However, the final say deservedly belonged to Fiji when Vudogo brilliantly claimed the restart to set up flanker Turagaca, and there was still time for replacement Joseph Mar to cross over unopposed.
OTHER RESULTS
Earlier in the day, Portugal followed up their runners-up finish in 2017 with third place after a 67-36 win over Namibia. Uruguay also hit new heights in beating Hong Kong 78-17 to claim fifth place, while Canada condemned Romania to last place with an equally emphatic 71-14 victory.