Ireland vs Fiji LIVE rugby: Result and reaction from autumn international as Ireland cruise to win
Ireland 35-17 Fiji: Nick Timoney scored twice as Ireland ran in five tries against their 14-man opponents
Ireland convincingly beat 14-man Fiji in Dublin as they ran in five tries during a 35-17 win.
Nick Timoney went over twice, while Robert Baloucoune, Mack Hansen and Cian Healy also dotted down for the hosts. Fiji showed flashes of their ability with two superb scores from Kalaveti Ravouvou and Simione Kuruvoli but Albert Tuisue’s red card for a high hit on Joey Carbery ended any realistic chance of victory.
Last week, Ireland showcased why they are the number one side in the world with a hard-fought win over world champions South Africa. Fiji didn’t pose the same test but the hosts were clinical enough when they needed to be.
Andy Farrell made wholesale changes to his team with a further Test against Australia to come next weekend and some of the new faces laid down a marker as the like of Timoney, Kieran Treadwell and Stuart McCloskey all shone to give their coach something to think about.
Relive the action as Ireland beat Fiji in Dublin:
England 52-13 Japan, 80 minutes
Time for one more for England? Manu Tuilagi sets a burly platform on the crash ball, and Freddie Steward is found wonderfull by a wide pass on right right. Steward is chopped down at the ankles by an outstanding cover tackle, and Henry Slade knocks on as he hits an angle in the next phase.
Japan will feed a five metre scrum with the clock in the red...
England 52-13 Japan, 79 minutes
England threaten another delightful carving after a Japan turnover in their own half, but Henry Slade can’t quite fling a pass away with Jonny May again disappointed on the left touchline.
England 52-13 Japan, 77 minutes
Nearly another! More sparkling handling from England, with Owen Farrell, now moving totally freely after that apparent issue, knifing between two tacklers and offloading.
Henry Slade guides a grubber for Jonny May to chase, but it slides slightly off the outside of the boot and into touch in goal. May looks to the heavens - he’d have got there first.
TRY! ENGLAND 52-13 Japan (Marcus Smith try, 74 minutes)
Three kicks and England are in!
Crossfield; chip; hack ahead - England show a range of skills with the boot to hit fifty. Marcus Smith finds Freddie Steward on the right, Steward forced to stall to catch but still with space in front of him. The full-back-cum-wing chips ahead, with the bounce of the ball catching out the Japanese pendulum defender, allowing Henry Slade to produce a rather more rushed stab onwards.
It skews to the left, spinning and bouncing perfectly for Marcus Smith to gather and flop over. Owen Farrell converts.
England 45-13 Japan, 73 minutes
Ji-Won Gu is helped off the pitch - a solid enough effort from the Japan tighthead after some early scrum-time frights against Ellis Genge.
Kotaro Matsushima knocks Ben Youngs’ box kick into touch.
England 45-13 Japan, 72 minutes
England spill the restart. The seldom-sighted Kotaro Matsushima darts into Marcus Smith, generating Japanese momentum.
That rather stalls it! A crunching hit from Owen Farrell, whose lower limb injury appears to have healed.
Japan manage to get a pass over the top of a leaping Jonny May, but the cover defence is sound, and Japan are forced into touch.
TRY! ENGLAND 45-13 Japan (Penalty try, 70 minutes)
Japan bring the maul down illegally and referee James Doleman trots beneath the posts!
England begin to get on the march, with Japan’s forwards struggling to quell the drive. Siosaia Fifita lends his weight, but arrives from the side, which Doleman deems prevents a try being scored.
Fifita is shown yellow, England’s tally increases by seven, and the hosts will fancy hitting fifty.
England 38-13 Japan, 69 minutes
Bright from Jonny May, timing his blitz around the corner perfectly to force a knock on from Naoto Saito. A Japan player in front of the scrum half then picks up to prevent England capitalising further, which upgrades the scrum to a penalty.
Another penalty at the lineout allows Marcus Smith to advance his forward pack further.
England 38-13 Japan, 65 minutes
Japan on the attack as the action resumes after those changes. A sustained period sees Warner Dearns go mighty close, with Tom Curry just able to wrestle the lock to the floor.
Dylan Riley nutmegs Henry Slade and dashes after his kick through, but Owen Farrell is back to defuse the danger.
That will be a worry for Eddie Jones, though - Farrell grimaces as he slides to ground the ball, and isn’t moving particularly freely as he rejoins his teammates for the goalline drop out. He’ll continue with England out of replacements, but one to monitor.
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