Wales tame ferocious Fiji to advance
Adams has hat-trick of tries in 29-17 win
OITA: Winger Josh Adams scored a sensational hat-trick yesterday as Wales booked a Rugby World Cup quarterfinal place with a 29-17 bonus-point win over Fiji, sending Australia through in the process.
In an end-to-end encounter in Oita, Fiji scored two tries in the first eight minutes playing some free-flowing rugby, but the Six Nations champions pegged them back and a Liam Williams try with 12 minutes left buried the Fijians’ chances.
The result also guaranteed Australia’s progress to the last eight ahead of their final Pool D game against Georgia tomorrow, which Wales top by three points ahead of their remaining game against Uruguay.
“We’ve got a tough four-day turnaround to Uruguay,” said Wales coach Warren Gatland.
But the victory may have come at a high price for Wales with playmaker Dan Biggar apparently knocked out in an aerial clash with teammate Williams, and Adams limping off with a knee injury after his third try.
“I think the medics are going to be working pretty hard in the next 24/48 hours. But pleasing to get that bonus-point win,” said Gatland. “That was tough, they’ve got some unbelievable individuals and we just had to stay in it.”
Fiji produced a flying start with two tries in a dramatic opening, in which a third try was ruled out by a forward pass and Wales went a man down when hooker Ken Owens was sent to the sinbin for a dangerous tackle.
It was the first of four yellow cards as referee Jerome Garces lost patience with repeated fouls.
But as the game wore on the superior quality of the Welsh attack told, and forward passes cost Fiji two more tries.
Although the final scoreline was probably closer than Wales would have liked, and Fiji wing Semi Radradra was named man of the match, the Welsh did outscore Fiji four tries to three.
“I think we probably started very slow out the blocks. We knew that if Fiji got their tails up, we were going to be in for a hard day at the office,” said Wales captain Alun Wyn Jones.
“Full respect and credit to Fiji. I think we saw the best of them at times today. It’s difficult to play against.”
Fiji end the tournament with only one win, over Georgia, and if they are to finish third in the pool to automatically qualify for the 2023 World Cup, they will need Wales and Australia to beat Uruguay and Georgia respectively in their final group matches. “We can go away with our heads held high after our performance today,’’ Fiji coach John McKee said. “It’s pleasing for me that we’ve finally had an opportunity on the world stage to show what this team’s capable of.’’