The FMF Flying Fijians had to settle for a 14-14 draw against the Australia A team in Suva and can count themselves unfortunate not to register a victory as Lachie Turner’s score-levelling try came just two minutes from time.

This gutsy effort from Fiji in their last IRB Pacific Nations Cup match this season showed a mighty improvement over previous weeks’ performances and certainly put a smile on coach Ilivasi Tabua’s face.

In the seventh minute, speedy wing Filimone Bolavucu celebrated his Test debut with a dashing try from halfway after being set up by fullback Norman Ligairi. Bolavucu’s team-mates from last year’s triumphant Digicel Fiji 7s team, Jone Daunivucu (halfback) and Semisi Naevo (flanker) also played impressively.

Fiji led 7-3 at the break, and after the Australians had clawed their way back into the game with penalty goals from Cameron Shepherd (2) and Clinton

Schifcofske, it was again Bolavucu who picked up a spilled ball in his own 22, shrugged off the would-be tacklers and galloped the length of the field to score his second try.

With a five-point lead and the pressure mounting, Fiji held off several waves of Australian attacks with some desperate tackling, but fullback Turner finally crashed over in the corner and Schifcofske couldn’t curl in the conversion.

Quotes:

Kele Leawere (FMF Flying Fijians captain)
“The World Cup is drawing near and everyone is fighting for a spot in the final squad so you can see that everyone played well today. I thanked the boys for a good game and even though we need to improve on some areas I’m glad that the boys put on a good fight till the last minute. The rotation of the players was great and now we know where we stand, it will be tough on the selectors to do their job.”

Laurie Fisher (Australia A coach)
“After last weekend’s game, the boys were expected to improve on tackles and we know that Fiji were hurting from the lost against Tonga so we were expecting a good game from them. We had to work on our defence, Fiji were tremendous throughout and have really improved, but they’ll have to work on their set pieces. – line-outs and scrummaging is very important. They have good athletes and lots of character. Their No.12 kept disrupting our lines, penetrating the line.”

Filimone Bolavucu (Scorer of both Fiji’s tries)
“I gave my best today for the fans and the country. I didn’t want to disappoint them because Bobo and Caucau are not available so I had to give them hope. I came today believing in myself that I could also deliver. I had this one chance to prove myself to the selectors, so I had to give all that I've got.”

Alister Campbell (Australia A captain)
“It was a tough game for us. The conditions really were tough compared to last week’s game in New Zealand when it was cold. Today we really struggled to adapt to the weather. We struggled in the heat. Fiji have made a huge improvement in the last 12 months – compared to last year when we played them in Australia. We're disappointed with the score. We didn’t execute our game plan and going forward we were disrupted most times.”

Saturday 23 June 2007
FMF Flying Fijians 14 Australia A 14
IRB Pacific Nations Cup
National Stadium, Suva
Half-time: 7-3
Referee: Chris Pollock (NZ)
Touch judges: Bryce Lawrence (NZ), Napolioni Locoloco (fjii)
Crowd: 3,500

FMF FLYING FIJIANS: 15 Norman Ligairi, 14 Isoa Neivua, 13 Kameli Ratuvou (Gabiriele Lovobalavu 21-28), 12 Seru Rabeni, 11 Filimone Bolavucu, 10 Waisea Luveniyali (Sisa Waqa 78), 9 Jone Daunivucu (Mosese Rauluni 52), 8 Sisa Koyamaibole, 7 Aca Ratuva (Dale Tonawai 50), 6 Semisi Naevo (yellow card 28-37), 5 Kele Leawere (capt), 4 Ifereimi Rawaqa (Peniasi Tokakece 74), 3 Henry Qiodravu (Apisai Turukawa 73), 2 Sunia Koto (Vereniki Sauturaga 57), 1 Alefoso Yalayalatabua
Coach: Ilivasi Tabua
Tries: Bolavucu (2); Conversions: Luveniyali (2)

AUSTRALIA A: 15 Cameron Shepherd (Sam Norton-Knight 71), 14 Digby Iaone, 13 Junior Pelesasa, 12 Ryan Cross, 11 Lachie Turner (Clinton Schifcofske 52), 10 Berrick Barnes, 9 Josh Valentine, 8 David Lyons, 7 David Pocock, 6 Hugh McMeniman, 5 James Horwill (Jone Tawake 51), 4 Alister Campbell (capt), 3 Nic Henderson (Gareth Hardy 40), 2 Tatafu Polota-Nau (Sean Hardman 44), 1 Rodney Blake (Dean Mumm 57)
Coach: Laurie Fisher
Not used: Josh Holmes
Try: Turner; Penalty goals: Shepherd (2), Schifcofske

Scoring Sequence (Fiji’s scores shown first)
4min – PEN AUSTRALIA A, Shepherd (missed) – 0-0
6min – PEN AUSTRALIA A, Shepherd (missed) – 0-0
7min – TRY FIJI, Bolavucu; conversion Luveniyali – 7-0
19min – PEN FIJI, Luveniyali (missed) – 7-0
27min – PEN AUSTRALIA A, Shepherd – 7-3
Half-time
46min – PEN AUSTRALIA A, Shepherd – 7-6
59min – PEN AUSTRALIA A, Schifcofske – 7-9
66min – TRY FIJI, Bolavucu; conversion Luveniyali – 14-9
78min – TRY AUSTRALIA A, Turner; conversion Schifcofske (missed) – 14-14
Full-time

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