Jake White points to Springboks example after Fiji fall to Ireland

New Flying Fijians coach Jake White has raised some questions the team will need “to sit down and talk about” after a 43-15 defeat to Ireland at Dublin’s Aviva Stadium, which extended the side’s winless Nations Championship run to five matches.

White, who led the Springboks to 2007 Rugby World Cup glory, took charge of Fiji ahead of a Japan Rugby Football Union Centennial Test in Tokyo. Fiji defeated Japan that evening, but have lost two matches since then to Six Nations giants.

Fiji were beaten 54-17 by France last weekend, with Antoine Dupoint recognised with Player of the Match honours. Coach White then made nine changes before facing Ireland, including a new captain for the round five showdown.

Peceli Yato took on leadership duties, and the skipper led by example as the visitors took a 12-7 lead during the first half. Josua Tuisova and Yato crossed for one try each, but the Flying Fijians didn’t hold that lead for long.

Robert Baloucoune levelled the scores six minutes later, and the Ireland winger ran in another try just before the break. It was only a two-point ball game at half-time, but Ireland took control during the second half, piling on the points in a 26-0 unanswered run.

“To be fair, 15-17 against Ireland, against the top Ireland side at half-time, you’ll take that,” White said post-game on the broadcast.

“But again, there’s obviously slacking off in the second half. We historically looked like we leak a lot of tries, especially in the last 20 of every game and it was exactly the same today. Is that fitness? Is that time together? Is it cohesion? Is that confidence in sticking to our game plan? Those are things obviously we’ll have to sit down and talk about.

“There were plays and line out plays that we haven’t even put into our spreadsheet this week so it must be because there’s pressure. They probably go back to what they know.”

Ireland shot out of the blocks with a fairly early try in the second half, before disaster struck for the Flying Fijians, who went down to 14 men. Inoke Ravuiwasa walked off the field, and the Irish certainly made the most of that advantage.

Andrew Porter and Tommy O’Brien got on the scoresheet in quick succession, and Ireland never looked back. It was a match that, as White explained afterwards, showed Fiji aren’t there yet and are still chasing an “edge.”

“I just look at that game and I’m sure next week you will see the difference,” White added.

“At 60 minutes, we take a tap penalty. South Africa will take the scrum, they’ll probably get a yellow card for putting pressure on Ireland and then they’ll play the last 10 minutes with 14 men and a seven-point return from that scrum.

“We’re not there yet, we took a tap penalty. Having been a South African coach, it would be nothing better than to say take the scrum, put them under pressure, get a yellow card against them and then we’ve got 10 minutes against 14 men.

“But we’re not there yet. That’s where we’re going to try and find that edge.”