Louis blitz hauls Wales out of the mire
LOUIS REES-ZAMMIT got Wales out of a big hole with a bolt from the blue.
The man nicknamed Rees Lightning raced 60 yards to score a crucial second-half try asWayne Pivac’s side edged past 14-man Fiji.
Wales had a man advantage for 55 minutes after Eroni Sau was sent off for a high smash on centre JohnnyWilliams.
Wales were 23-14 down going into the final quarter. But Alex Cuthbert’s try in his first Test since 2017, Rees-Zammit’s stunner and a late Liam Williams effort saw Wales record their first autumn win. “You can’t coach express pace and I’m really, really pleased for Louis. It was a moment of individual brilliance,” Wales head coach Pivac said of 20-year-old Rees-Zammit.
“Fiji threw everything at us when they went down a man.”
Pivac lost Tomas Francis before kick-off after he failed to recover from concussion and then saw Josh Adams injured in the warm-up. Francis’ replacement WillGriff John lasted seven minutes before being forced off with a head injury.Waisea Nayacalevu put Fiji ahead after a superb Viliame Mata offload.
BenVolavola kicked a conversion and two penalties either side of Wales hitting back through Ryan Elias.
Sau, right, then saw red for a reckless hit on Johnny Williams after he had already tackled him to the floor and Albert Tuisue’s yellow reduced Fiji to 13. It allowed Kieran Hardy to snipe over. Rees-Zammit also had a try ruled out. He collected Dan
Biggar’s cross-kick, but the officials decided he had been in touch in the build-up. Wales were lucky to be ahead at the break and, when Nayacalevu scored again after Fiji counter-attacked to go the length of the field, an upset looked on the cards.
WALES – Tries: Elias (2) Hardy, Cuthbert, Rees-Zammit, L Williams. Cons: Biggar (2), Sheedy (2).
Tries: Nayacalevu (2). Cons: Volavola (2). Volavola (3).