Japan 2019 - Pool D Australia Fiji Georgia Uruguay Wales

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Team	Played	Won	Drawn	Lost	Tries	PF	PA	+/-	BP	Points
Wales	2	2	0	0	8	72	39	33	1	9
Australia	2	1	0	1	9	64	50	14	2	6
Georgia	2	1	0	1	7	47	50	-3	1	5
Uruguay	2	1	0	1	4	37	60	-23	0	4
Fiji	2	0	0	2	7	48	69	-11	2	2

Australia 39 - 21 Fiji  
Wales 43-14 Georgia
Fiji 27-30 Uruguay        
Georgia 33-7 Uruguay                  
Australia 25-29 Wales                    


3 October 2019         Georgia v Fiji                           Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Higashiosaka
5 October 2019         Australia v Uruguay                  Oita Stadium, Ōita
9 October 2019         Wales v Fiji                              Oita Stadium, Ōita
11 October 2019       Australia v Georgia                   Shizuoka Stadium Ecopa, Fukuroi
13 October 2019       Wales v Uruguay                      Kumamoto Stadium, Kumamoto

Great attack & pressure from Fiji!

You're right so far Maesteg, Fiji absolutely hammering Australia. No better time to win than from this position. Don't think they will - they look reliant on their explosivity, which you'd expect to fade second half - but Australia are rattled. Not panicking just yet, but rattled for sure.

HT arriving just in time for Fiji. Already looked like they were fading there, now get a breather and another chance to make a dent in the second half. Big loss having Yato off the field - in a team of big, hard carriers, who stood out around the fringes as particularly dangerous.

Think Rhys Hodge and James O'Connor have both been absolutely levelled at least twice by Tuisova and Radrada already. Lealiifano also on the receiving end of a few huge hits - can't help but feel this i exactly the game where Foley would have been ideal, just keep turning the defence, run when required, but keep Australia playing in the right areas and allow Fiji's mistakes be their own downfall.

Weird to see Pocock of all people falling in to the trap and throwing a hospital quick lineout throw on his own tryline. Suppose that Aussie spirit to keep playing is their strength, but it could easily be terminal if Fiji weren't so dreadful in the scrums. That alone - along with poor discipline in phaseplays, there's loads of space out wide if Australia keep hold of the ball and get it wide and they should have a few run ins second half - should be enough to see the Wallabies over the line.

But great game so far. Fiji are majestic at the basics. Literally want to be out there throwing the ball around with them.

Just seen the shot Rhys Hodge put in on Yato to send the Fijian off with a head injury. Shocker. Yellow card minimum. Ben O'Keefe is poor in this area - not just Halfpenny, he seems a bit glib at times. That's a poor miss, and the TMO has to be accountable as well. It's a shocker.

Great match so far, Fiji looking very impressive. Especially Waisea Nayacalevu who puts a new level on the power center scale shrugging off o’connor then Kerevi like they are kids. Peceli Yato is immense at openside.

The big centre gets the score - Maesteg calls it again.

Game on. This is tasty. Aus 12-Fiji 21.

Ooh, Aussies bad pass allows interception.... not only is he big Miaow, he is fast, skillfull and can pass beautifully

Fiji looking so much physically stronger than the Aussies in every department. Their tackling is incredible and most of the time legal too.

Hooper basically the sole shining light in this Australia team. Certainly outdoing Pocock, who looks off the pace. Just can't deal with the physicality, and the issue is the half backs offer nothing for Australia. Can't helpbut feel Cheika got his selection totally wrong. This has Genia and Foley written all over it.

Hit the nail on the head their mate. I completely agree.

Pocock is struggling to get from ruck to ruck in this game.

Main factor if Fiji’s Fijians are a lot better than Australia’s Fijians.

C’mon Fiji

Genia on, 60m box kick from his 22, finds touch. Something Nic White didn't do for 50 minutes, Genia does in 1.

Thing about Fiji, Maesteg, is they are literally all the same body shape/size bar maybe the tight 5 forwards. They all look like the biggest/strongest/fastest League players, and have the explosiveness to match.

Think Australia will turn the screw with Genia on, now, but as long as Fiji stay in touch on the scoreboard, there's always a chance.

Aussies playing to their strengths

Set piece and mauls trying to milk the card out of Fijian indiscipline. I think the ref just warned Fiji...

A point in it......come on Fiji

Final quarter, Oz 20-21 Fiji.

Think Fiji had the best of all worlds there considering Australia looked destined to score. 3 penalties in the red zone, final warning, Australia get the try in the corner (butchering the conversion) and some time is killed.

Crucially, they didn't lose anyone to the bin. That would have been terminal, Fiji with 14 men would be out of the contest. Still on though with about 20 minutes to go.

Still lots of time for Fiji

Yellow card... bit harsh he is refereeing the breakdown differently close to the line. Aussies line out drive and maul get the try.

Fiji are showing wales how to beat the wallabies and the wallabies showing wales how to win this pool

kingelderfield wrote:Still lots of time for Fiji

Yeah and they can score from anywhere, easily

Now the worst happens. Fiji have Botia sent to the bin. Fiji legs seem to be going, as do the heads. Some really silly penalties being given away at the breakdown.

Feel like Fiji have suffered from a kicking option at 9. All his box kicks have been short and they've suffered.

Australia get the try from the maul, and for the first time, the lead.

25-21, con missed. 63 mins.

Still all to play for, but in reality, cool Australian heads and they should tie this up with a bonus point.

Lovely turn over by Fiji

Bit of naivety from Fiji there. Wonderful turnover on their own tryline, and then their 9 sends another poor box kick out, handing posession back to Aus in their own 22. Bit of savvy from Fiji there to tug at the ball and not get the clean turnover wins them the penalty and a kick to clear their lines and retain posession. Small details key in this game. I'm not joking when I say that 60m box kick from Genia turned the game around.

Inevitably, Oz score. 32-21, 10 mins to play.

Great Backline move by the bazzers

Beautiful Oz try from first phase kills the game with 8 mins to play. Finally got it wide-wide quickly and Koroibete scores against Fiji. Killer blow in more ways than one.

Fiji started well, Yato going off was huge for Fiji, he was playing so well.

Since then, Genia was a big difference maker for Australia. He has been as good as White was poor.

Well the refs and his assistants made sure Fiji had no chance here. Apparently you can just pull players back off the ball and prevent them from tackling opposing players.

Think the ref was pro-Fiji is anything. Some very dodgy calls in both halves at the breakdown that went Fiji's way. The only howler was the Hodge tackle. Fiji have had poor discipline for the last 50 mins of the game.

miaow wrote:Think the ref was pro-Fiji is anything. Some very dodgy calls in both halves at the breakdown that went Fiji's way. The only howler was the Hodge tackle. Fiji have had poor discipline for the last 50 mins of the game.

The refs also missed the most obvious knock on offside penalty in the history of the game at the end of the first half denying Fiji an attacking platform.

Really enjoyed that game. I agree Robbo losing Yato was key to Fiji losing momentum.
I still think Fiji have a chance in this pool. Two easier games to come & they will then target the final game.
Although Wales defensive game should see them through.

So 5 points for Australia and 0 for Fiji. You feel like Fiji deserve more, but Australia have been very streetwise here.

Assuming Australia beat Georgia and Uruguay with 10 point wins, that should be enough to qualify them regardless of the Wales result. Fiji unlikely to take 15 points from their remaining 3 games.

If Wales can beat Australia and get to 14 points by the time they face Fiji, then they'll feel their safe too. Fiji could theoretically knock them out with a 5 point win if they've moved themselves to 10, but they'd have to deny Wales the bonus point as well.

Unfortunately for Fiji if they weren't to win they needed to stick in and get something, 1, maybe 2 bonus points. But they have fallen short here and now have a huge uphill battle. Their best hope is Australia beating Wales and setting up a knock-out game with Wales in the last match.

Yes agree with all that but Wales v Australia was always going to be the key match up.
Attack v defence & if Wales lose that one massive pressure on that last game.

Usual stuff that you expect from Fiji. Some excitement and power, but still not an 80-minute team against the top tier nations, still indiscliplined and still poor at the set-piece. Australia got it tactically wrong in the first half, but made the correct adjustments in the second.

Yep, Fiji will throw absolutely everything at Wales now. That could be brutal, and Wales don't really have the explosive power Australia have to just bear with them while Fiji still have juice in the tanks.

Fiji looked spent after 60 minutes (lost the second half 28-7), don't have a scrum to speak of, their replacements lack the impact the starters brought, are a bit loose defensively particularly in the wide channels (crossfield kicks for the ambitious could be profitable, but risks the intercept try), really lack a kicking option from 9, and once the emotion and momentum is gone from the game they lost their heads in terms of discipline.

It would still be a disaster for Wales to lose to them, as rugby is an 80 minute game and Biggar etc. should have the composure we saw from Hooper and Genia to know what to do to win the game, but Fiji could definitely beat Wales if we don't turn up.

robbo277 wrote:So 5 points for Australia and 0 for Fiji. You feel like Fiji deserve more, but Australia have been very streetwise here.

Assuming Australia beat Georgia and Uruguay with 10 point wins, that should be enough to qualify them regardless of the Wales result. Fiji unlikely to take 15 points from their remaining 3 games.

If Wales can beat Australia and get to 14 points by the time they face Fiji, then they'll feel their safe too. Fiji could knock them out with a 5 point win, but they'd have to deny Wales the bonus point as well.

Unfortunately for Fiji if they weren't to win they needed to stick in and get something, 1, maybe 2 bonus points. But they have fallen short here and now have a huge uphill battle.

Fiji should be comfortable winners in their next match over Uruguay and should, unless a Georgia have improved massively, beat Georgia comfortably too. Both BP wins though? Like you say i’m Not sure they will be.

No matter what McKee will now be targeting wales in their final match...


Well done Fiji, bit unlucky at times there, definitely a much better Fijian team than at previous RWCs

Highly entertaining match. Fiji discipline went as they tired. Good first half though.

Aussies did well to use set piece to take control.

What worries me from a Wales perspective is that, if Fiji score a few (and I think they will), have Wales got the skills to get out of jail and score some tries in reply like Oz did? If Fiji are 21 something up v Wales I think Wales will struggle to get back in the game. Made worse by our gameplan of not going for the lineout deep in the opposition half, as against Fiji the driving lineout might be a decent weapon!

miaow wrote:Yep, Fiji will throw absolutely everything at Wales now. That could be brutal, and Wales don't really have the explosive power Australia have to just bear with them while Fiji still have juice in the tanks.

Australia didn’t have any explosive power either, looked decidedly lightweight in contact compared to Fiji.

Key is to getting a good tight game going like the bazzers did when Genia came on. Set piece, mail, ball retention, phases and unfortunately for Fiji, wait until they get a yellow.

Wales will also need a BP win vs Fiji

Wales will be fine against Fiji, they have a better pack than Australia. Keep to their structures and they will break down Fiji in the second half

The Oracle wrote:What worries me from a Wales perspective is that, if Fiji score a few (and I think they will), have Wales got the skills to get out of jail and score some tries in reply like Oz did? If Fiji are 21 something up v Wales I think Wales will struggle to get back in the game. Made worse by our gameplan of not going for the lineout deep in the opposition half, as against Fiji the driving lineout might be a decent weapon!

Wales have been very good at coming back into games where it looks like the opposition have control, vs a england and France in the six nations Wales were superb in getting the result while maintaining calm heads when under the cosh.

Old Man wrote:Wales will be fine against Fiji, they have a better pack than Australia. Keep to their structures and they will break down Fiji in the second half

I agree, though I think the wales vs Aussie game will be tougher than today’s game. Australia will target a far wider game, a faster game. The Aussie set piece looked good, strong scrum great line out, good maul...

Wales will need to be controlled and clinical like they were in the last match of the six nations. Make the wallabies chase the match.

miaow wrote:Yep, Fiji will throw absolutely everything at Wales now. That could be brutal, and Wales don't really have the explosive power Australia have to just bear with them while Fiji still have juice in the tanks.

Fiji looked spent after 60 minutes (lost the second half 28-7), don't have a scrum to speak of, their replacements lack the impact the starters brought, are a bit loose defensively particularly in the wide channels (crossfield kicks for the ambitious could be profitable, but risks the intercept try), really lack a kicking option from 9, and once the emotion and momentum is gone from the game they lost their heads in terms of discipline.

It would still be a disaster for Wales to lose to them, as rugby is an 80 minute game and Biggar etc. should have the composure we saw from Hooper and Genia to know what to do to win the game, but Fiji could definitely beat Wales if we don't turn up.

We'll know more after the Wales vs Australia game, but do Wales have the set piece to do what Australia did? The scrum creaked a bit over the summer, but it's hard to tell whether Australia are a very good scrummaging unit or Fiji are very poor. It's potentially a game for Biggar to start at 10. I know he's carving out this role as a finisher, but you'll almost need that control from the start.

Fiji have a quick turn around until Uruguay and should beat them on talent alone. Then they have a lot of hard work to do because set aside Wales, Georgia will have seen that and be targeting this one, especially with their set piece. If Wales do beat Fiji then Fiji vs Georgia becomes a "third placed play-off" and with that automatic qualification for the next tournament.

I’m not so sure Wales scrum is stronger than Australia’s but it will be a real humdinger.

Hodge should definitely got a red & should be cited post match.

Well that was a cracking game

Australia gave themselves a mountsin to climb and then climbed it. They are clearly not just in Japan to make up the numbers.

They also gave the blueprint for other sides as to how to play Fiji in the second half.

If Fiji can sustain their game for 80 mons, then they could beat anyone, but that id a very big if!

Michael Cheika's whole head is very...testicular...

maestegmafia wrote:

Old Man wrote:Wales will be fine against Fiji, they have a better pack than Australia. Keep to their structures and they will break down Fiji in the second half

I agree, though I think the wales vs Aussie game will be tougher than today’s game. Australia will target a far wider game, a faster game. The Aussie set piece looked good, strong scrum great line out, good maul...

Wales will need to be controlled and clinical like they were in the last match of the six nations. Make the wallabies chase the match.

The question though is will Wallaby set piece match up with Wales? That is often the deciding factor.

maestegmafia wrote:Australia didn’t have any explosive power either, looked decidedly lightweight in contact compared to Fiji.

Scott Sio, Latu (2 tries) did some hard, explosive yards when Oz were still on the back foot. Koroibete then caused trouble as it opened up. Thought they did well - Wales only really have North, that's about it. Parkes, JD2 etc. all powerful in their own right, but we don't have that fast twitch grunt that Fiji are obviously the greatest exponents of.

A bit of a thrashing in the end as expected. Fiji just don’t have the all round game that is required at this level. They are good some aspects but so poor at others and will probably never excel as they just want to play 7s. They’re good athletes but often disorganised and naive.

Well done Aus. I was cheering you all the way!

PS i’ve Googled ‘Bazzers’ in reference to Aussies but absolutely no reference I can find, in relation to WW1 or otherwise. Intrigued!

Twitch grunt

miaow wrote:

maestegmafia wrote:Australia didn’t have any explosive power either, looked decidedly lightweight in contact compared to Fiji.

Scott Sio, Latu (2 tries) did some hard, explosive yards when Oz were still on the back foot. Koroibete then caused trouble as it opened up. Thought they did well - Wales only really have North, that's about it. Parkes, JD2 etc. all powerful in their own right, but we don't have that fast twitch grunt that Fiji are obviously the greatest exponents of.

You can’t really compare a welsh team to a Fijian team, genetically we are not as big, as fast or as strong. But it was their passing 99% of the time that was impressive, balls just disappeared from one player and appeared with the next. Caught the bazzers napping a number of times.

If Wales vs Fiji is refereed with a little bit more openness at the breakdown we could struggle to get ball. We might have a very smart backrow but they are just so much stronger.

robbo277 wrote:We'll know more after the Wales vs Australia game, but do Wales have the set piece to do what Australia did? The scrum creaked a bit over the summer, but it's hard to tell whether Australia are a very good scrummaging unit or Fiji are very poor. It's potentially a game for Biggar to start at 10. I know he's carving out this role as a finisher, but you'll almost need that control from the start.

Fiji have a quick turn around until Uruguay and should beat them on talent alone. Then they have a lot of hard work to do because set aside Wales, Georgia will have seen that and be targeting this one, especially with their set piece. If Wales do beat Fiji then Fiji vs Georgia becomes a "third placed play-off" and with that automatic qualification for the next tournament.

Yeah, Wales will hammer them in the scrums, no worries there. It's not just a case of one being better, Fiji looked out of their depth in every sense in the scrum. Wyn Jones is a great scrummager. Jake Ball will definitely start this game - even if he only lasts 40 minutes - but the grunt he gives from lock makes a huge difference. No worries about that, Wales will smash them, and you saw Fiji going cheeky-short in the lineouts as well (3 I think, 2 where the front man was smashed by Oz defender), so set piece in general should be their achilles.

The issue for Wales is having the composure to take some manshaming in the first 30 minute - like Hodge, O'Connor, White, and Lealiifano did - and still keep playing and running the ball, finding the gaps around the fringes, before exposing what is a very poor Fijian fringe defence by the looks of things.

Biggar starts, no doubt, the moment Anscombe went down he lost his finisher label. Patchell will get the Uruguay game, that's it. He's gone first team v Georgia, same against against Oz obviously, and then it's like a 10 day turnaround until Fiji I think? No need to rest anyone, but I think we'll pick up injuries. I'm thinking Jake Ball as a minimum as he's made of glass.

Interesting point about automatic promotion. Total clash of styles. Don't think the Georgians have anything behind the scrum. I can see Fiji getting a fast start and holding out in what will probably be a scrappy, sloppy final 20 minutes. Expect a few fisticuffs as well, I think. Two teams who won't take a backwards step lightly.

Shame, thought Fiji were in with a chance there, but Australia kept their cool and got the job done. Doesn't really tell us very much for the Wales Australia game I don't think. Wales can do the Australians if we're clinical, we know that, but it's all in the head when we play the Aussies. They never really panicked today.

Straya