Wallabies come from behind to beat Fiji

SAPPORO AFP Sept 21, 2019: Australia hooker Tolu Latu scored two tries in five minutes as the Wallabies came from nine points down in the second half to beat Fiji 39-21 and escape a huge upset at the Rugby World Cup on Saturday.

Fiji haven't beaten Australia for 65 years -- a run of 17 winless games against the two-time world champions -- whose fans dominated the crowd of 36,482 at the indoor Sapporo Dome.

But that did not stop a physical team featuring several of Fiji's Olympic Sevens gold medallists going ahead 21-12 against the 2015 runners-up four minutes after halftime.

Australia, rattled by Fiji's powerful running, eventually made their forward dominance count thanks to unlikely try hero Latu's double following the match-changing entry of scrum-half Will Genia.

Tries from Fiji-born backs Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete then sealed Australia's comeback win.

Australia almost scored from the opening kick-off when Reece Hodge charged down an ensuing clearance kick, only for Fiji to scramble the ball clear.

After Australia-born Fiji fly-half Ben Volavola knocked over an early penalty, a box-kick from Wallabies scrum-half Nic White allowed Fiji to counter-attack.

Fiji right wing Josua Tuisova bounced off Hodge and burst through Christian Lealiifano's tackle before releasing flanker Peceli Yato for a try in the right corner.

Australia eventually made their setpiece play count in the lead-up to an 18th-minute try for Hooper, who drove over after the Wallabies pushed Fiji off their own scrum.

Fiji suffered a setback when Yato went off with concussion in the 26th minute after what appeared to be an illegal no-arms tackle by Hodge.

Captain Dominiko Waqaniburotu said they had asked New Zealand referee Ben O'Keeffe to refer the incident to television match official Rowan Kitt but no action was taken despite World Rugby promising a crackdown on head-high challenges.

Australia completed their win with a setpiece move off a line- out that ended with Koroibete beating his man for a wellworked try.

Concussion rules mean Fiji will be without Yato for their next match against Uruguay in Kamaishi on Wednesday, with Australia playing fellow Pool D favourites Wales in Tokyo a week on Sunday.