Jiuta Wainiqolo breaks away for a try. Photo: Sitiveni Fa'afetai
The Fiji water Flying Fijians have beaten Scotland 29-14 in a game that had spectators on the edge of their seats.
Indiscipline cost Scotland the match as they were shown 2 yellow cards within the first half and a red card in the second half.
Scotland took the early lead after fullback Kyle Rowe slipped a couple of tackles to score with debutant Fergus Burke converting to give them a 7-0 lead.
The Fijians retained possession and started attacking the Scotland line as Ewan Ashman was shown a yellow card in the 10th minute.
Salesi Rayasi broke the defensive line and off-loaded to Simione Kuruvoli who lost control of the ball giving possession back to the hosts in the 13th minute.
It was a battle for territory in the first quarter as Josua Tuisova ran some brilliant lines but they could not capitalise it into points.
Flyhalf Caleb Muntz finally got Fiji on the score sheet after converting a penalty kick to trail to 3-7.
Skipper Tevita Ikanivere crashed over from a line-out set piece to extend Fiji’s lead to 8-7 after Scotland winger Darcy Graham was shown his first of two yellow cards for foul play.
Fiji made use of the overlap as winger Kalaveti Ravouvou scored in the corner just before half time to extend the lead to 15-7.
Scotland scored scored first in the second half to narrow their deficit to 14-15.
Explosive winger Jiuta Wainiqolo scored Fiji’s first try in the second half to extend their lead to 22-14.
Darcy Graham was shown his second yellow card of the match which was then upgraded to a red card leaving them with only 14 men on the field.
Fiji had the last say as a penalty try was awarded to them in the 66th minute to extend their lead to 29-14.
While there were a few late surges in the dying minutes as Scotland tried to get back in the game, it was not to be as Fiji held them off till the dying whistle.
Live updates
- Debuting Scotland flyhalf Fergus Burke gets things underway at the HFC Bank Stadium.
- 1"Early mistake from Fiji, taking the ball back into the 22 before booting it out, Scotland throw.
- 2" Scotland into the Fiji 22, defence holding and now penalty to Scotland.
- TRY!!
- 3" Kyle Rowe scores for Scotlabd after a set piece from the lineout.
- FIJ 0-7 SCO.
- 5" Good exit from Scotland as they exit their 22, Fiji first touch.
- 6" Penalty to Fiji, Scotland offside. Fiji throw in, now setting up the phases as they spread it out wide. Another penalty to Fiji.
- 8" Third penalty to Fiji, who are opting for another lineout.
- Yellow Card to Ewan Ashman!!
- 10" Maqala stopped just short, before Ravouvou gets bundled into touch.
- 12" Fiji penalised, hands in the ruck.
- 16" Tuisova bowls over a few Scottish players before passing it on, Scotland regroup but lose the ball forward, Fiji scrum.
- 18" Fiji penalised for being offside.
- 19" Wainiqolo and Ravouvou take it into Scotland's 22, Fiji get the penalty and are opting for the posts.
- FIJ 3-7 SCO.
- 23" Fiji scrum.
- 25" Scotland get a scrum penalty.
- 27" Fiji lineout after Scotland knock it into touch.
- 31" Fiji building up the phases before finally losing it forward.
- Looked like an early tackle to Maqala that forced that knock on.
- Could it be a penalty try?
- TMO checking it now.
- Yellow Card to Darcy Graham.
- 35" Fiji opting for a lineout after being awarded a penalty.
- TRY!!!
- Captain Tevita Ikanivere scores.
- FIJ 8-7 SCO.
- 39" Penalty to Fiji, Scotland offside
- TRY!!
- Kalaveti Ravouvou scores at the other end after a nice set piece play.
- FIJ 15-7 SCO.
- HALFTIME.
- Second half underway as Scotland get the scrum and now a penalty.
- TRY!!
- 43" Tom Jordan scores for Scotland.
- FIJ 15-14 SCO.
- 45" 50-22 kick from Scotland.
- 46" Mawi wins a penalty for Fiji.
- 52" Fiji lineout in their own half after losing it in the Scottish 5 metre line .
- 53" Fiji get a scrum.
- 54" Fiji get another scrum as Darcy Graham bobbles the ball.
- TRY!!
- Jiuta Wainiqolo scores.
- FIJ 22-14 SCO.
- 61" Fiji get penalised after Wainiqolo neck roll on Scotland player.
- 62" Maqala gets a penalty for Fiji after Scotland not releasing.
- Penalty Try, second yellow card to Darcy Graham now upgraded to a red card.
- FIJ 29-14 SCO.
- 69" Fiji on the attack, advantage for a high tackle to Maqala.
- 71" Scotland steal from the lineout and hoof it close to Fiji's 22.
- Sam Wye makes his debut for Fiji.
- Less than 7 minutes to go, 15 points the difference, can Scotland do something?
- 74" Scotland knock it on 10 metres from the try line.
- 75" Armstrong-Ravula clears the ball from their 22.
- 76" ref laying advantage to Scotland.
- 81" Fulltime.
