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 VODAFONE FIJI
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6 August, 2003
Fiji down Canterbury with last kick
Nicky Little's dropped goal with the last touch of the game gave Fiji a 41-38 victory over Canterbury in a thrilling encounter at Jade Stadium on Wednesday.
A hat trick of tries from Seru Rabeni plus solos from Vilimoni Delasau and Marika Vunibaka saw Fiji outscore the Cantabs five tries to three, with the boot of Andrew Mehrtens keeping the Kiwis in the game until the end.
The hosts had raced to a 15-0 lead after just 16 minutes as Fiji took time to settle. But once Fiji began to get the ball wide, instincts took over and the tries came.
After prop Campbell Johnstone and wing Alisi Tupuailei had scored with a little too mush ease, Fiji hit back on the half-hour with a great charge up the middle from Moses Rauluni. The halfback made good ground, allowed lock Kele Leawere to take the ball another 15 metres before Rabeni, then Vunibaka went for the line, with Rabeni getting the final say.
Four minutes later, Aisea Tuilevu broke a tackle on Fiji’s 10-metre line and flicked a pass outside to Delasau, who motored past flanker Sam Broomhall and stepped his marker before racing a further 40 metres to score. It was classic Fiji.
Just before the break, Little converted a penalty goal and Fiji were in front 17-15; but Mehrtens replied moments later to send the teams into the tunnel at 18-17 in Canterbury’s favour.
Fiji came out firing in the second half, as Rabeni dotted down twice in quick succession.
First, the Otago backliner charged down skipper Ben Hurst’s kick, regathered and skinned the fullback to score under the posts in a try almost identical to the one he scored against Queensland in June.
Five minutes later, Rabeni hit a hole in the Canterbury line on halfway and left Nathan Mauger and Ben Blair in his wake before diving over to complete his hat trick.
With Little kicking 100% through the match, Fiji led 31-21.
Then followed a series of infringements by Fiji in their own half that saw Mehrtens kick four consecutive penalty goals for Canterbury to regain the lead 33-31. Referee Gary Wise from Hawke’s Bay blew up for penalties against Fiji again and again as the Kiwis were content to keep the action in the middle.
Into the final quarter, Koli Sewabu replaced Tawake at No.8 and Ifereimi Rawaqa came in for Emori Katalau, who had stolen some valuable ball in the line-outs but missed some vital tackles.
Rawaqa immediately took over where Katalau had left off and dominated the aerial battle. Also giving great support in the line-outs and in the loose was Nadi flanker Kitione Salawa. But as Fiji’s defence held firm, referee Wise continued to dish out the penalties, some looking a bit harsh.
An awful scrum on Fiji’s 5-metre line saw the ball skid out the back with Rauluni in chase having to touch down and give away the put-in.
Into the final minute they went with Fiji holding well, but a Kiwi movement to the right resulted in Blair finding himself a couple of metres outside Delasau with just enough space to score right in the corner.
That put the scores level at 38-38, but Mr Dependable Mehrtens missed badly with the conversion and the draw seemed to be a fair outcome.
However, Fiji showed plenty of guts to make one last effort. Securing several well-worked phases on the left, Rauluni set up Little right in front of the posts, about 25 metres out, and the Saracens fly-half clipped a low kick through the sticks for victory.
Canterbury coach Aussie McLean said although his team put points on the board early they went away from their game plan. "Fiji defended well but we missed some important tackles," he told the Canterbury RFU web site.
However, he welcomed the intensity of the game. "This game was just what we wanted. The physical intensity and speed was just what we were looking for ahead of the NPC."
His feelings were echoed by the captain, Hurst, who admitted the defeat was very frustrating for the team.
"We knew how explosive (Fiji) were going to be but we just gave them too many opportunities," Hurst told CRFU. "We've got a few things to tidy up leading into the NPC next week as we were found wanting in some areas."
Fiji coach Mac McCallion said he had picked Fiji to play Canterbury as part of his plan to mentally toughen up the team before the World Cup.
"It's been a highlight to play against such a fine Canterbury side. At half-time the boys looked like they had hit a brickwall but we've been working hard at keeping composed even when the points are down. I think that the Fiji forward pack has just come of age and that showed today."
Wednesday 6 August, 2003
Canterbury 38 Fiji 41
Jade Stadium, Christchurch
Half-time: 18-17
Referee: Gary Wise (NZ)
Crowd: 10,000
CANTERBURY: 15 Ben Blair, 14 Alisi Tupuailei (Shaun Webb 40), 13 Casey Laulala, 12 Nathan Mauger, 11 Caleb Ralph, 10 Andrew Mehrtens, 9 Ben Hurst (capt), 8 Scott Robertson, 7 Johnny Leo’o, 6 Sam Broomhall, 5 Norm Maxwell (Kevin O’Neill 40), 4 Matt Dalzell, 3 Campbell Johnstone, 2 Jed Vercoe, 1 Chris King
Not used: Tone Kopelani, Ryan Wederell, Andrew Morgan, Jamie Nutbrown, Cameron McIntyre
Tries: Johnstone, Tupuailei, Blair; Conversion: Mehrtens; Penalty goals: Mehrtens (7)
FIJI: 15 Alfred Uluinayau, 14 Marika Vunibaka, 13 Aisea Tuilevu, 12 Seru Rabeni (Epeli Ruivadra 34-36), 11 Vilimoni Delasau, 10 Nicky Little, 9 Moses Rauluni, 8 Setareki Tawake (Kolinio Sewabu 62), 7 Kitione Salawa, 6 Sisa Koyamaibole, 5 Kele Leawere, 4 Emori Katalau (Ifereimi Rawaqa 65), 3 Joeli Veitayaki, 2 Greg Smith (capt), 1 Richard Nyholt
Not used: Viliame Gadolo, Paula Biu, Samisoni Rabaka, Waisale Serevi
Tries: Rabeni (3), Delasau, Vunibaka; Conversions: Little (5); Penalty goal: Little; Dropped goal: Little
Scoring sequence (Canterbury first)
8min Penalty Canterbury, Mehrtens – 3-0
13min Try Canterbury, Johnstone, conversion Mehrtens – 10-0
16min Try Canterbury, Tupuailei – 15-0
30min Try Fiji, Rabeni, conversion Little – 15-7
34min Try Fiji, Delasau, conversion Little – 15-14
40min Penalty Fiji, Little – 15-17
43’min Penalty Canterbury, Mehrtens – 18-17
Half-time
45min Try Fiji, Rabeni, conversion Little – 18-24
47min Penalty Canterbury, Mehrtens – 21-24
50min Try Fiji, Rabeni, conversion Little – 21-31
51min Penalty Canterbury, Mehrtens – 24-31
54min Penalty Canterbury, Mehrtens – 27-31
56min Penalty Canterbury, Mehrtens – 30-31
62min Penalty Canterbury, Mehrtens – 33-31
67min Try Fiji, Vunibaka, conversion Little – 33-38
78min Try Canterbury, Hurst – 38-38
82min Dropped goal Fiji, Little – 38-41
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