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:
Ireland 28-17 Fiji, 68 minutes
Barring something unforeseen, they will win this game but it hasn’t quite clicked for Ireland today. Another forward pass ends the latest promising movement, this time up the right.
Meanwhile, in Florence, Australia have scored with the clock in the red. The conversion would break Italian hearts...
Ireland 28-17 Fiji, 66 minutes
Fiji are back to 14 players, by the way, with Api Ratuniyarawa once more amongst things in the second row.
A vibrant Irish attack threatens to cut Fiji open but the last pass to Mack Hansen is forward and low.
TRY! Ireland 28-17 FIJI (Simione Kuruvoli try, 64 minutes)
That is sensational from Fiji!
There appears little on as Setareki Tuicuvu faces up to the Irish defensive line just inside his own half. The full back shimmies in search of a sliver of space, producing an audacious offload off the deck to Jiuta Wainiqolo.
Wainiqolo is irresistable in the open field, using fast feet and stiff fends to pinball up field. His offload is equally dextrous, granting Simione Kuruvoli a canter beneath the posts.
TRY! IRELAND 28-10 Fiji (Mack Hansen try, 61 minutes)
A fourth Ireland try at last!
Fiji’s scrum rather crumble against the full might of eight Irish forwards, the ball popping free as Setareki Tuicivu (employed as an emergency flanker) tries to keep control at the side of the set-piece.
The blindside is under-resourced, and Mack Hansen strolls in after Craig Casey’s pass. Jack Crowley converts impressively.
Ireland 21-10 Fiji, 59 minutes
Towards the halfway point of this second half the clock ticks with the two tallies still unchanged after the interval. Can Ireland make something of their latest lineout in the Fijian 22?
Nope! Viliame Mata is the destroyer-in-chief of the maul, flopping merrily on the ball as Ireland bring it to ground.
Ireland 21-10 Fiji, 59 minutes
More like it from Ireland, the crowd rising as their side begin to threaten with ball in hand. Robert Baloucoune weaves and wounds a couple of would-be tacklers with shimmying hips, and then Mack Hansen nearly finds Jimmy O’Brien with a crossfield kick.
Tadhg Beirne has been taken off the ball in an earlier phase; penalty to Ireland on halfway.
Ireland 21-10 Fiji, 57 minutes
Fiji’s lineout throw is off-kilter - Ireland scrum.
Italy, by the way, lead by ten against Australia under the Tuscan sun after another Ange Capuozzo score with 15 minutes to go.
Ireland 21-10 Fiji, 56 minutes
A scrum is far from ideal for Fiji, too, who have only six men with which to power their push. Their forwards do rather well, holding parity even without their flankers, and forcing a sliced kick from Ireland.
Ireland 21-10 Fiji, 55 minutes
This time Cian Prendergast is rewarded! The great shock of hair on the Connacht forward’s head makes him easy to spot in the depths of the Fijian maul, the ball coming to floor with Prendergast’s long limbs wrapped securely around it. Turnover, Ireland ball.
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