Fiji may not have followed through on the notion that Ireland were “vulnerable” but Saturday’s third Autumn Nations Series match still gave Andy Farrell’s side more to think about – and work on - ahead of next week’s clash with Australia.
The Pacific Islanders never looked remotely capable of recording their first ever win over Ireland and living up to scrum-half Frank Lomani’s pre-match talk, and were flattered by the 52-17 scoreline.
The numerous points Ireland left on the Aviva Stadium pitch will have perturbed Farrell, while Jacob Stockdale’s impressive display on his return to Ireland colours was cut short by a hamstring injury. Still, it was an afternoon that provided the Irish head coach with plenty of positives.
“For all sorts of reasons it was very pleasing,” he said.
“First and foremost there are some really nice stories within our group with two debutants and people getting a chance to get their second or third start, or somebody like Jacob Stockdale who hasn’t played in quite some time to play like he did.
“I thought there were a lot of good stories and I thought we backed it up as a group to get the win. We played some nice rugby. We could’ve - should’ve - done better at times obviously but I thought we controlled the game pretty well.”
“As you would expect me to say - the best is yet to come, it has to be. A buoyant Australia side, playing some really nice rugby, the week’s going to be a special one for us, a marked game for the 150th anniversary [of the IRFU]. We talk a lot about the shirt and what it means to us so it’s a big week for us coming up.”
There were some excellent moments from Ulster’s Cormac Izuchuku in his first Ireland appearance and fellow debutant Gus McCarthy shone in an 80-minute display that saw him assist for tries and score himself, while Sam Prendergast was up and down on his first start in the number 10 jersey.
But the disciplinary issues that dogged the previous two weeks against New Zealand and Argentina returned, although they were in the second half with the result already under lock and key. That was largely due to Fiji’s own problems with penalties – 11 in the first half that included a yellow card for repeatedly falling foul of referee Hollie Davidson.
Ireland punished their visitors with tries from captain Caelen Doris, Josh van der Flier, Craig Casey and Mack Hansen as they led 28-3 at half-time. Hansen scored again after the break with Aki McCarthy, Ronan Kelleher also adding scores, while Fiji replied through Kitione Salawa and Setareki Turagacoke.
The match was an opportunity for Farrell, and Simon Easterby who takes over after next week’s final autumn international against Australia as the head coach transfers to British and Irish Lions duty, to cast a wider net across Irish resources after playing almost the same hand against the All Blacks and Pumas.
In seven changes to the team that beat Argentina, Jamie Osborne, Stockdale and Casey all made their first starts of the autumn, to go with Prendergast’s first start after making his debut against Argentina and McCarthy and Izuchukwu’s first ever appearances in senior green.
Fiji tested their squad in the heavy defeat to Scotland three weeks ago and a comeback win over Spain last weekend, and returned to a first choice 15, albeit without star wing Semi Randranda, suspended after being sent off in the win over Wales in between. Twelve of the starting side from that Cardiff victory lined out in Dublin.
An early penalty kicked to touch came to nothing for Ireland when McCarthy’s first throw, gathered by Izuchukwu, wasn’t straight. Another penalty saw Prendergast kick to the corner and this time it couldn’t have gone better. Joe McCarthy collected his namesake Gus’s throw and transferred to Josh van der Flier, who popped the ball up to the debutant peeling around the back of the maul. His inside pass was finished by captain Caelan Doris for Ireland’s first score in the fifth minute. Prendergast converted for his first Irish points.
But the Leinster fly-half was almost immediately off the field when he came in with a shoulder to the chin of flanker Salawa as Stockdale had him snagged along the sideline. The yellow remained yellow after a bunker review and Ireland only had to do without Prendergast for 10 minutes.
Fiji almost took advantage when Caleb Muntz saw Casey out on the wing isolated against blindside Ratu Meli Derenalagi, who rose miles above the scrum-half before feeding Luke Tagi. The tighthead rumbled towards the line before Izuchukwu made it back to stop him just short. Jiunta Wainikolo’s subsequent reach was just short too and Ireland escaped unscathed as the wing spilled the ball forward in his attempt to touch down.
Stockdale was making his tackles and looking eager for work, taking an offload from Robbie Henshaw after Aki put his centre partner through in the 15th minute. Fiji infringed again at the breakdown and a nifty move from the tap penalty saw Van der Flier go over for Ireland’s second try, converted by Casey.
Caleb Muntz got Fiji on the board with a penalty after an Ireland offside but Fiji were on the defensive again straight away when Hansen reclaimed Prendergast’s restart and loosehead Eroni Mawi was yellow-carded for an illegal tackle on Doris, paying the price for Fiji’s spiraling penalty count.
However, Prendergast, perhaps too keen to make an impact after his time off the pitch, kicked that close-in penalty dead with his touch effort before sending an ambitious 50-22 effort out on the full.
Izuchucku thought he had marked his debut with a try but Hansen’s long pass was judged forward by referee Davidson. It was marginal. Hansen then spilled an offload from Stockdale as Ireland threatened again.
The continued pressure meant more infringements, and eventually another warning for Fiji as their count reached nine penalties before the half-hour. The subsequent lineout maul trundled forward before hooker McCarthy broke away and deftly fed Casey to dot down in the corner. Prendergast added the extras from the sideline for a 21-3 lead.
As well as the yellow card and the overcooked touch-finders, Prendergast wasn’t on the same page as his team-mates on some of his more ambitious passing attempts but was utterly in synch with Hansen when his crosskick found the Connacht man with the freedom of the right wing to canter home with the clock in the red at the end of the first half. Prendergast’s conversion attempt needed the post to see it over for a 28-3 interval advantage.
The game was long done but, after not managing a point in the second half against Argentina, Ireland’s job wasn’t. Stockdale was pinged for holding on near the line but the wait for after-the-break points didn’t last long as Aki ran through following more sharp handling by debutants McCarthy and Izuchukwu before Prendergast converted for 35-3.
Stuart McCloskey came on for the excellent Henshaw but Stockdale was soon off, pulling up on a burst through, his face immediately registering the pain – and obvious frustration - of a hamstring injury.
Izuchukwu made way for his Ulster team-mate Iain Henderson, with Tom O’Toole also on for Finlay Bealham. The changes weren’t doing anything for Ireland’s discipline, however, as they chalked up four penalties in the first 13 minutes of the half and Fiji eventually got their try when Salawa scampered through off the edge of an unguarded ruck. Muntz converted to leave Fiji trailing 35-10.
McCarthy got his debut try in the 65th minute when he was at the back of a lineout maul for Ireland’s sixth of the day, converted again by Prendergast. But Fiji weren’t done either, with Muntz skipping through in midfield before setting giant 18-year-old replacement Setareki Turagacoke away for his second try in two weeks.
But things turned sour for the Stade Francais teenager on the restart when he played scrum-half Casey at the ruck with Ireland threatening, and the hosts turned the infringement into another try for Hansen in the corner. Prendergast missed his first place kick off the day.
Replacement Kelleher got Ireland’s eight try, which was followed by some pushing and shoving and a pulled conversion by Prendergast, to complete the scoring.
