Sportsupdated 25m ago2 min read
MapIreland Beat Fiji 43-15 After 26 Unanswered Second-Half Points at Aviva Stadium
6 Western Mainstream3 OtherMap: © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL · Cropped for layout
This article is an automated aggregation of coverage from news outlets. Our editorials offer in-depth analysis curated by the NewsCord team.
Ireland defeated Fiji 43-15 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Ireland overturned a sluggish first half with 26 unanswered second-half points.
Save coverage image
Ireland’s second-half surge
Ireland beat Fiji 43-15 at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin in the Nations Championship on Saturday, after a sluggish first half left them trailing 17-15 at the break. Tommy O'Brien scored an early try for Ireland, and Robert Baloucoune’s two tries helped Andy Farrell’s side lead 17-15 before Fiji’s Josua Tuisova and Peceli Yato kept the visitors in it. Ireland then scored 26 unanswered second-half points, with Ronan Kelleher, Andrew Porter and O'Brien crossing as the hosts pulled clear.
Nick Timoney ended the scoring with a late try, and the result left Ireland one point off northern hemisphere leaders France and behind England on points difference before next week’s showdown with world champions South Africa in Dublin. The match also featured yellow cards, including a yellow card for captain Tadhg Beirne after Angus Gardner had initially shown a card to James Ryan, and a sin-bin for Inoke Ravuiwasa.
Ratings and quotes
Planet Rugby gave Robert Baloucoune a rating of 14, saying he scored two tries but that “all the work was done inside him,” while it rated Jamie Osborne at 13 after he lasted just three minutes before going off injured. Planet Rugby also rated Sam Prendergast at 10, noting “Prendergast’s goal-kicking was poor” even as it said there were “Still, there was positives than negatives.” Nick Timoney told ITV that “We figured out the stuff we needed to do to get to a good place,” and he added of Fiji, “One to 15 across the park, tough.”
Gerry Thornley’s match report in The Irish Times included Ryan Baird’s reaction on Virgin Media, where Baird said, “Physicality, physicality, physicality” was how he answered what they learnt ahead of South Africa. The Irish Times also described the finish as “Dominant second half by Ireland won it comfortably,” while it recorded the final score as “Ireland 43 Fiji 15.”
What’s next for Ireland
Ireland’s next match comes next week against world champions South Africa in Dublin, with the Nations Championship final at Twickenham on 29 November. Sky Sports said the result left Ireland level on 20 points with second-placed England, a point below leaders France, and it framed the next week as a “mouthwatering clash with the Springboks.” Rugby.au said Ireland’s 43-15 win left Andy Farrell’s team level with England on 20 points and one behind northern hemisphere group leaders France, and it pointed to final round matches that will decide rankings going into the November 27-30 finals weekend in London.
The BBC reported that Ireland must beat the Springboks and hope France and England slip up against Argentina and New Zealand to secure a berth in the inaugural competition’s Twickenham showpiece on 29 November. TechRadar’s guide tied the stakes to the points race, saying Ireland “realistically need a big bump to their points difference if they want to make the final of the inaugural tournament.”