Flank Jac Morgan scored two of Wales’ six tries as they beat Fiji in their opening Nations Championship match in Cardiff on Saturday.
After beating Italy in their final match of the Six Nations, the 39-24 victory at Cardiff City Stadium gave Wales back-to-back Test wins for the first time since the 2023 World Cup.
It was a hat-trick of victories after Steve Tandy’s team beat the Barbarians at Twickenham last week in a non-cap match.
Wales will now travel to play Argentina and the Springboks, while Fiji play two more designated home fixtures against England in Liverpool and Scotland in Edinburgh.
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In front of a crowd of 16,456 at the 33,000-capacity venue, Fiji dominated the opening exchanges and were rewarded two minutes into the game when flank Pita Gus Sowakula crossed for a try after some slick off-loading.
Flyhalf Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula converted before Wales hit back with a Morgan try from an attacking line-out and drive.
Winger Selestino Ravutaumada knocked on at the tryline as Fiji turned over Wales seven times in the opening 25 minutes.
Fiji were dealt a hammer blow when experienced back Semi Radradra went off injured.
Immediately, Wales struck from the lineout, once again Man of the Match Morgan driven over from an efficient maul.
Wales had dominance not just from the lineout, but also at scrum time, winning a hatful of penalties against a profligate Fijian front row that lost Tim Hoyt to injury.
Armstrong-Ravula booted a penalty on the stroke of half-time to make it 10-10, Dan Edwards having missed both of Wales’ conversions.
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The second period started well for Wales.
Prop Rhys Carre powered over for the team’s third try before Josh Adams caught Ravutamada snoozing as the Fijian winger waited for a long ball to go dead.
Adams didn’t give up his chase and got a hand to the ball before it touched the line to extend Wales’ lead.
Fiji hit back with an attacking maul of their own, No 8 Elia Canakaivata crashing over, and Armstrong-Ravula converting to make it 22-17.
Ravutamada made up for his earlier brainfog by showing a clean pair of heels to run in Fiji’s third try, the conversion making it a one-point game.
As an increasingly error-strewn Fiji side tired, replacement hooker Ryan Elias then went over for Wales’ third try from a lineout maul.
Replacement flyhalf Sam Costelow hit the extras to hand Tandy’s team a two-score advantage with 14 minutes to play.
Centre Eddie James was on hand to score a sixth Welsh try at the death for what was an ultimately a comfortable win over a Fiji side whose attacking promise was undone by an ill-performing set-piece and unforced handling errors.
FIJI – Tries: Pita-Gus Sowakula, Elia Canakaivata, Ravutaumada. Selestino Conversions: Armstrong-Ravula (3). Penalty: Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula.
WALES – Tries: Jac Morgan (2), Rhys Carre, Josh Adams, Ryan Elias, Eddie James. Conversions: Dan Edwards, Sam Costelow (2). Penalty: Edwards.
– AFP
Photo: Harry Trump/Nations Championship via Getty Images
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Flank Jac Morgan scored two of Wales’ six tries as they beat Fiji in their opening Nations Championship match in Cardiff on Saturday.
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