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 10-0 Japan, 22 minutes
Luke Cowan-Dickie’s lineout throw secured with little certainty, but England just about have it and will play.
Picked off! Yutake Nagare snatches Marcus Smith’s pass like an apple from the autumn orchard and hurries away, kicking ahead as the English tacklers circle him.
England 10-0 Japan, 21 minutes
Scrum three, penalty three for England, who are on top at the set piece so far.
England 10-0 Japan, 19 minutes
Guy Porter is slightly loose in his carry and is mugged of the ball by Ryoto Nakamura, with shouts of excitement from the Japan backs as they power up their engines for a chance to attack with turnover ball. Dylan Riley leads them up the left, but the handling is imprecise, and England will have a scrum.
England 10-0 Japan, 17 minutes
Through goes Jonny Hill but there is a knock on in the build up! England vary their play, Luke Cowan-Dickie coming around the corner as Tom Curry feeds him at the back of the maul. The hooker combines with his Exeter teammate Sam Simmonds, but as England try to play quickly away from the base, a horrible pass leaves Tom Curry a scooping job to do - and the flanker fails to do it cleanly. Hill throws his head back in frustration after collecting and crossing. A chance missed.
England 10-0 Japan, 16 minutes
A second scrum penalty of this young contest for England, with Ji-won Gu again the man picked out. England re-enter the Japan 22.
England 10-0 Japan, 14 minutes
Japan’s restart hangs handsomely in the Twickenham sky, but Dave Ribbans is up with equal grace to claim. With an advantage for collapsing the maul, Owen Farrell tries something funky, kicking across for Jonny May to gather.
May’s kick ahead triggers a call of “advantage over”, but England are up in good number to force a knock on Kotaro Matsushima, stooping to take Tevita Tatafu’s offload at his shoelaces.
TRY! ENGLAND 10-0 Japan (Freddie Steward try, 12 minutes)
There’s the clinical edge England lacked last weekend!
Japan stymie the English drive, forcing it back and then sideways, with Jack van Poortvliet asked to remove the ball by the referee. The scrum-half does, setting in motion a backs move, with Owen Farrell up in the line and pulling back for Marcus Smith, who in turns feeds on to Freddie Steward.
Steward fades just enough on it to arc past Kotaro Matsushima, with Jonny May outside him holding the edge defender. The long-striding full-back powers away; England are off to an excellent start, with Owen Farrell collecting two more from the tee.
England 3-0 Japan, 10 minutes
The England pack roar their delight as James Doleman whistles for a penalty their way - Ji-won Gu’s bind has irked the referee.
Owen Farrell kicks England into the 22.
England 3-0 Japan, 8 minutes
Ellis Genge looks on it this afternoon. Again the Bristol prop charges up with ominous intent, once more brusque and bruising in his investigation of a Japanese midriff. England counter-ruck and win turnover ball, which is booted up field.
Maro Itoje knocks on as he tries to gather the Japanese reply.
England 3-0 Japan, 6 minutes
England now are guilty of a midfield offside, and Japan begin to fizz a little as they work the phases. Kazuki Himeno makes a sizeable carry as he thunders in from the right touchline.
Ellis Genge draws oohs of approval from the England fans as he delivers a rib-tickler to Atsushi Sakate, and Japan run out of flow.
The penalty is theirs though, of course, and into the England 22 Sakate leads his team for the first time.
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