Fiji player ratings vs Georgia - Autumn Nations Cup
Fiji player ratings: So this is what we’ve been missing. Vern Cotter’s Fiji came out of the gates like rodeo bulls with a point to prove having missed all but the final weekend of the Autumn Nations Cup.
After the initial storm, conditions and the men in maroon jerseys slowly dragged the Flying Fijians into an arm wrestle, but as the conditions dried, so the Fijians magic started to emerge. Here are our Fiji player ratings:
1. PENI RAVAI – 6.5
Ravai never got the chance to show off his carrying abilities, unrivalled by any other prop in the game. Unlucky not to score a rare try. The Fijian scrum did creak at times as the match wore on. The Georgians will do that.
2. SAMUEL MATAVESI – 6.5
Having recovered from Covid as one of the ’29’, Matavesi could be forgiven for not being at his best. A couple of stray lineouts darts aside, a solid shift.
3. MESAKE DOGE – 7
Held his own against the Georgian scrum who had gotten the best of Ireland a week earlier. Carried like a bull elephant in ‘must’, scattering red defenders like they were tourists at a Safari park in some tragic Youtube video.
4. TEVITA RATUVA – 7
Part of a Fijian eight who dominated nearly every collision. You sense the Georgians wanted to go up the middle against Fiji but there’s was little quarter given, and the athletically built Scarlet was at the heart of it.
5. TEMO MAYANAVANU – 7
Another Fijian forward at the coalface in Murrayfield. The young man from Lyon impressed, standing up to the famed bearded man-strength of the Lelos.
6. JOHNNY DYER – 7
A well deserved early try for the flanker. Fell off a couple of tackles but over all a solid, meaty performance from the blindside.
7. MESULAME KUNAVULA – 7.5
Carried well in traffic and worked hard tracking back in defence. Ran a good support line off Tuisova to pick up a try. Two turnovers to his name after the 80.
8. ALBERT TUISUE – 8
The miserable conditions hampered Fiji getting any continuity in attack, but Tuisue did what he could from the base of the scrum, a position he plays at club but never international level. Was worth his weight in gold at the breakdown, winning turnover after turnover.
9. FRANK LOMANI – 7
Mixed the excellent with the shoddy in rainy conditions. Marshals his forwards well although the 24-year-old is still working on his game management.
10. BEN VOLAVOLA – 7.5
The veteran flyhalf probably doesn’t get the credit he has deserved at Test level. He controlled the game well until a decision making brain-fade in the 24th minute gifted the Georgian’s entry into the Fijian 22. His precision grubber for Nadolo’s second try was world-class.
11. NEMANI NADOLO – 9
The big man scored after just 72 seconds after a brilliant pick-up from the deck, which set the tone the game. Was looking for victims to obliterate in defence. He’s lost 8 kilos on a vegetarian diet having come into camp at 142kg and he looked in mint condition. After sliding in for his second, he’d bagged his hattrick by the 63rd minute, by which stage the Georgians understandably didn’t look too keen on the bringing him down.
12. LEVANI BOTIA – 7.5
Defending against Botia has be one of the most unenviable tasks in professional rugby. Carried with massive violence, drawing the attention from the TMO at times.
13. SEMI RADRADRA – 7
He’s the best player in the world on his day, but the Georgians did a relatively good job containing him. Naturally, the attention diverted to the Bristol Bear opened up space elsewhere.
14. JOSUA TUISOVA – 8
‘The Bus’ scored with his first touch of the ball, his seventh Test try. Fumbled his fair share of high balls in the torrential conditions. Brushed aside four defenders to set up Kunavula in the 54th minute and generally caused carnage on the ball.
15. KINI MURIMURIVALU – 6
A quiet afternoon for the Leicester Tigers fullback, with Tuisova and Nadolo grabbing the plaudits today.
Comments on RugbyPass
Lets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
10 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
10 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
5 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to comments