Ireland 52 Fiji 17
There was a moment, in the 10th minute to be precise, when Ireland actually looked in a genuine spot of bother. Sam Prendergast’s yellow card was going through the bunker review and Fiji had skilfully manipulated the 14-man Irish defence for their winger Jiuta Wainiqolo to reach out for the line.
In the ensuing seconds it looked like the Fijian winger might well have scored, thereby leaving Caleb Muntz with a conversion to draw the sides level at 7-7. There was also a widespread fear that Prendergast’s full Test debut was going to be cut short prematurely and permanently after just eight minutes, thereby leaving Ireland with either another 18 minutes, or 70, to play with 14 men, depending on whether the yellow card was upgraded to a 20-minute red card or full red card.
Even the 20-minute red card would have been awful for Prendergast while a permanent red would have further swelled belief within Fijian ranks that this was their day to complete the set of six victories over the European tier one nations.
It was with huge relief, not least for the 21-year-old himself, that the colour of Prendergast’s card remained yellow on the premise that “the degree of force was not high”. With that pretty much everyone else in the ground went “phew”.
Prendergast is patently not a dirty player, but he had turned his back on Kitione Salawa and caught the Fijian flanker’s jaw with his shoulder. Maybe, in that moment, Prendergast was subconsciously aware of the outside noise regarding his defence and being questioned during the week in his media briefing about his “slight” size.
“I dunno, I think I can get better at it [defence]. Slight? I think that’s a bit harsh,” he said, evidently a tad peeved.
Perhaps Prendergast had a little beginner’s luck, or due to his age and status, was given the benefit of the doubt. Whatever, even Brian O’Driscoll on TNT thought the yellow card would be upgraded and it was hard to argue with the Fijian coach Mick Byrne when suggesting: “I think he was wearing a green jersey, so it stayed yellow.”
Indeed, had that been a Fijian player making the same contact on an Irish player, it’s hard not to believe the sanction wouldn’t have been more severe.
In any event, Tadgh Beirne’s covering tackle meant Wainiqolo had touched down millimetres short of the line and Ireland weathered the brief Fijian storm; Bert having thankfully taken a siesta in the city on a mild afternoon in the capital. Jamie Osborne stepped into the outhalf role with some aplomb, Josh van der Flier augmented Caelan Doris’ opening try when scoring from the captain’s pass in a well-worked training ground tap penalty routine designed by Paul O’Connell.
So, by the time Prendergast returned, his side had actually extended their lead to 14-3, and the likelihood is that even with 14 men Ireland would have won.
Prendergast returned utterly unperturbed by his uncharacteristic blot, or after kicking a penalty dead and putting another out on the full. He gave a beguiling performance of his outhalf craft in that trademark way of his, always having time, picking the right option, executing the right pass and seeming to suspend the ball in the air with his cross kick for the first of Mack Hansen’s two tries. He’s one smooth operator all right and it must have completed his family’s day enormously that his older brother saw out the game with him.
“Very good, very happy with him,” was the verdict of his halfback partner Craig Casey, who gave Prendergast a steady supply of quick, zippy ball and chipped in with his first Test try and even a conversion during Prendergast’s sinbinning.
“The yellow card obviously wasn’t ideal and he probably wasn’t happy with that himself but he is just so calm for a 21-year old,” added Casey. “It’s crazy how calm he is, nothing flusters him. You saw when he came back on how calm he was. He just drove us on and didn’t let it affect him whatsoever. Brilliant.”
In the context of the contest, the wildly ill-disciplined Fijian challenge subsided rather disappointingly. Their concession of two yellow cards and a whopping 17 penalties afforded Ireland a plethora of set-piece footholds inside the Fijian 22 as they went through a catalogue of inventive launch plays.
Hence the debutant hooker Gus McCarthy was involved in five of the eight tries, with three try assists and a try of his own, while Rónan Kelleher finished off the scoring with one as well.
Beirne and Doris had huge games, and so too did Robbie Henshaw and Bundee Aki, who looked a prime pick for this game – witness 17 carries, six defenders beaten, four clean breaks and a try.
Ireland also deserve credit for giving Fiji virtually nothing to feed off, as in loose kicks, handling errors or long passes with a red X on them. Ireland had played superbly in the first half against Argentina, blitzing the Pumas early on, before their performance subsided in the second half. But here they maintained their focus and, for the most part, accuracy, adding four second-half tries to their four in the first.
Yet, in a curious way Ireland were both clinical and profligate, as three forward passes cost them further tries. But this was their most fluent performance of the series so far and, dusting off the cobwebs and finding their rhythm, has seemingly set them up nicely for a meeting with you-know-who and the Wallabies.
Scoring sequence: 5 mins Doris try, Prendergast con 7-0; 15 mins van der Flier try, Casey con 14-0; 18 mins Muntz pen 14-3; 30 mins Casey try, Prendergast con 21-3; 40 (+2) mins Hansen try, Prendergast con 28-3; (half-time 28-3); 47 mins Aki try, Prendergast con 35-3; 55 mins Salawa try, Muntz con 35-10; 64 mins G McCarthy try, Prendergast con 42-10; 65 mins Turagacoke try, Muntyz con 42-17; 68 mins Hansen try 47-17; 79 mins Kelleher try 52-17.
IRELAND: Jamie Osborne; Mack Hansen, Robbie Henshaw, Bundee Aki, Jacob Stockdale; Sam Prendergast, Craig Casey; Andrew Porter, Gus McCarthy, Finlay Bealham; Joe McCarthy, Tadhg Beirne; Cormac Izuchukwu, Josh van der Flier, Caelan Doris (capt). Replacements: C Frawley for Osborne (27 mins); T O’Toole for Porter, T Clarkson for Bealham, C Prendergast for van der Flier, S McCloskey for Henshaw (all 47); C Murray for Stockdale (49); I Henderson for Izuchukwu (50); R Kelleher for Aki (73).
Yellow card: S Prendergast (7 mins).
FIJI: Vuate Karawalevu; Jiuta Wainiqolo, Waisea Nayacalevu (capt), Josua Tuisova, Ponepati Loganimasi; Caleb Muntz, Frank Lomani; Eroni Mawi, Tevita Ikanivere, Luke Tagi; Mesake Vocevoce, Temo Mayanavanua; Meli Derenalagi, Kitione Salawa, Elia Canakaivata. Replacements: P Matawalu for Lomani (23 mins); H Hetet for Salawa (23-28); S Matavesi for Ikanivere, S Tawake for Tagi (both 51); S Maqala for Loganimasi (55); S Turagacoke for Mayanavanua, A Tuisue for Derenalagi (both 59); V Botitu for Nayacalevu (61 mins).
Yellow cards: Mawi (18 mins); Turagacoke (66).
Referee: Hollie Davidson (SRU).
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