REES LIGHTNING STRIKES AGAIN TO SAVE WALES

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Wales

LOUIS REES-ZAMMIT got Wales out of a big, big hole with a bolt from the blue.

The man nicknamed Rees Lightning by his team-mates showed his trademark pace and raced 60 yards to score a crucial second-half try (top) as Wayne Pivac’s side edged past 14-man Fiji.

Wales had a man advantage for 55 minutes after Eroni Sau (below) was sent off for a high smash on centre Johnny Williams. Pivac’s men huffed and puffed and were 23-14 down going into the final quarter.

But Alex Cuthbert’s try in his first Test since 2017, Reeszammit’s stunner and a late Liam

Williams effort saw Wales get out of jail and 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 the 20-year-old speedster.

“Fiji threw everything at us when they went down a man. They had everything to gain and nothing to lose.” Wales captain Ellis Jenkins added: “Louis is fast, isn’t he? What a finish. It was a big momentum shift for us.”

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

38 Fiji

lasted just seven minutes before being forced off with a head injury.

Waisea Nayacalevu put Fiji ahead after a superb Viliame Mata offload.

Ben Volavola kicked a conversion and two penalties either side of Wales hitting back through impressive Ryan Elias.

Sau then saw red for a reckless hit on Johnny Williams after he had already tackled him to the floor and Albert Tuisue’s yellow saw Fiji go down to 13. It allowed Kieran Hardy to snipe over.

Wales were lucky to be ahead at the break and they got even worse in the third quarter. Their attack was rudderless and Fiji smashed them to bits at the breakdown.

When Nayacalevu went over for his second after Fiji counterattacked to go the length of the field, a huge upset looked on the cards.

But referee Nic Berry sent Fiji’s Eroni Mawi to the sin bin for repeated away infringements and Wales struck.

Elias was driven over again, Cuthbert finished superbly, and then Reeszammit came to the party.

The Gloucester star picked up possession in his own half, kicked ahead, and won the race to the line using his trademark pace. Liam Williams then put the game to bed.

Fiji’s Welsh head coach Gareth Baber said: “Discipline cost us the game. One of our players had a rush of blood.”