What's happening
Fiji - Japan

October 23 Match

WHAT'S HAPPENING? (posted 24th October 2003)
So much for my prediction of an upset for the Fiji/Japan game in Townsville last night. The Fijians ended up winning the game 41-13. The first half was fairly close - Waisale Serevi putting first points on the board with a penalty goal for Fiji. Unfortunately for Serevi he was injured though and headed to the bench. Fiji could hardly feel too hardly done by though as he was replaced by Nicky Little who's been playing very very well this tournament.

The Japanese muscled the Fijian scrums throughout the first half, and spectators saw plenty of rolling mauls from the Cherry Blossoms - a sight not witnessed previously, and a tactic which had the Fijians rattled! New Zealand born Andy Miller, who scored all of the points for Japan in this match, levelled the scores within ten minutes of the opening half when he kicked a penalty goal. Nicky Little wasted no time in making his presence felt on the field by kicking a three pointer himself shortly after, but it was the field goal from Andrew Miller from over the half way line that left the Fijian side looking stunned! I guess I looked pretty stunned as well - what a kick!

The Japanese side must have been overly excited by the field goal or something as they then seemed to be off with the fairies in their defence. While they were napping, Norman Ligairi and Aisea Tuilevu both crossed the line for Fiji. Ligairi's try was a fine display of Fijian running and passing, but Tuilevu's can only be described as 'soft'. Little fluffed both the conversions and so the Fijians were only 10 points ahead of the Cherry Blossoms. Miller got over for another try for the Japanese and converted it - the score was 16-13 in Fiji's favour, but then Miller had a couple of penalty goal attempts before half time that he couldn't kick successfully.

The second half was all Fiji - Tuilevu scoring his second try within minutes of the restart. Little had his kicking eye in by this stage and slotted the ball through the posts to convert, and then added a three pointer to the tally. Ligairi chipped a ball forward, chased and collected the ball to pot one in the corner for Fiji. Little's kick missed but he converted a try shortly after when Vunibaka crashed through the Cherry Blossom's defence to score. A successfuly penalty kick near the full time whistle saw the Fijian team's score hit 41. Japans' score remained the same as at the end of the first half.

The win for Fiji gives them 4 points, and they picked up a bonus point as well. Looks like the RWC is all over red rover for the Cherry Blossoms, but Fiji's hopes remain alive. The task at hand for them now is to beat the Scots in Sydney next week. If they can defeat Scotland then they can force their way through to the quarter finals. Good grief - I have no issue with Fiji - but I just had a very sobering thought... if Fiji progress and progress.. DON'T tell me I'll have to sit at one of the finals with the screamer and her haunting 'Gooooo Fiiii-J-EEEEEE!'s.. ARGH!! I couldn't stand it! For those of you who have NO idea what I'm drivelling on about - read this - you know she ALSO sat in front of me (albeit a few rows down) at the Australia/Romania game.. oh the pain! heheh..