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Recap: Wales vs Fiji LIVE | Rugby World Cup
Follow all the action from the Wales versus Fiji World Cup match on the RugbyPass live blog.
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Wales have claimed they are recharged and ready to go as they target a place in the World Cup quarter-finals. Ten days after the Welsh toppled Australia and took charge of Pool D, the Six Nations champions tackle Fiji in Oita.
Victory over a team they have beaten at the last two World Cup tournaments will secure a last-eight spot before their final group game against Uruguay next Sunday. Wales have not topped their pool with a 100 per cent record since the inaugural World Cup 32 years ago, but they are firmly on course to achieve that feat.
Josh Navidi is one reason for them to believe that feat is possible, the Wales back row forward classing World Cup-winning New Zealand coach Steve Hansen and England players among his many admirers. But Navidi admits he would probably not have believed anyone four years ago who predicted him being part of Wales’ World Cup squad in Japan.
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The 28-year-old Cardiff Blues player has become a pivotal cog in Wales boss Warren Gatland’s finely-tuned machinery. Navidi has won 14 of his 21 Wales Tests, and his versatility is underlined by him switching from No8 to blindside flanker against the Fijians. He has also worn the No7 shirt and captained Wales, with Gatland readily acknowledging his considerable ability.
“He runs hard, tackles hard, does the basics well and doesn’t make many mistakes,” Gatland said. “I remember speaking to John Mitchell (England defence coach) after we played England at home, and he said that the England boys have a lot of respect for him as a player. That to me is recognition of quality.
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“A few years ago – I think it was one of Josh’s first games when we played the All Blacks – and Steve Hansen said: ‘where did you get that No7 from? We are very lucky in that department. We have some real quality loose forwards who are all capable of doing a job, and there is some real competition there.”
Here are the teams for #WALvFIJ #RWC2019 pic.twitter.com/nZPy1nIdbP
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 7, 2019
Navidi went four years between winning his first and second caps, but he is now arguably one of the first names on Gatland’s team sheet. “It’s been crazy,” Navidi said. “A couple of months ago I did take a step back and think about it. If you had said to me fours ago that I would be playing in this World Cup, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.
“It is nice to be here embracing it and taking the opportunity. Hopefully, I can just keep the jersey and keep on playing. It has gone well. I know the jersey can be taken off you so quickly, so I just have to embrace it. You have to take it when you can and hold on to it for as long as you can.”
Navidi’s immediate thoughts are on Fiji, when he partners back row colleagues James Davies and Ross Moriarty, knowing that a victory in Oita would confirm Wales’ quarter-final place one group game inside the distance.
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Wales have succumbed to Pacific Island opposition in three World Cups and this Fijian side have enough firepower to make Warren Gatland nervous. Complacency is not an option, says @OwainJTJones https://t.co/5FmcPGlXeB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 7, 2019
“They [Fiji] like a frantic and open game,” he added. “We have just got to concentrate on ourselves and make sure our set-piece and everything is right, and all our patterns are there. A lot of people know him (Davies), and he is a massive threat over the ball and in attack as well.
“He is a bit of a character, he does tuck a few of the boys up. He had me. He is a good boy to tour with. It is good to have him here. Liam (Williams), him and Brad (Davies) are on tour entertainment. They did a thing where we had to guess whose tweet it was, and it was about the 2015 World Cup. It came up, and I thought it couldn’t be me, but it was, so I had to do a forfeit.”
Navidi has had plenty of family support in Japan, with his parents watching on, while his brother – a hairdresser who has two salons in Bridgend – has proved a cut above as far as the Wales players are concerned.
“My brother was over here for about two weeks,” Navidi said. “He came in and did the boys’ haircuts to freshen them up for the Australia game, but now they are struggling to find a barber, so there might be a few wild haircuts. The boys are saying they will pay for his ticket to come back.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets 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?
11 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.
11 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.
17 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 comments