There’s a whiff of wind in Australia’s sails but their defence will be tested by a Fijian side in superior form
Likewise behind the pack. First-pick scrumhalf Tate McDermott is sidelined with concussion, with Nic White, who looked slow and out of sorts against Georgia and is carrying a shoulder injury, to step into his spot. It means in-form Western Force half Issak Fines-Leleiwasa will probably get major minutes against Fiji and a chance to spark with flyhalf Carter Gordon who has the keys to the gold Kingswood at No 10 but is yet to hit full throttle.
For every piece of the Wallabies puzzle that slips between the sofa cushions, another slots into place. Australia’s troubles off the tee are solved, with Ben Donaldson’s assured 25-point showing locking him in at No 15. It gives Australia’s spluttering attack a crucial alternative kick-chase option to feed their own Fijian-heritage flyers Nawaqanitawase, Marika Koroibete and Suliasi Vunivalu on the wings.
If there is a theme to the tournament so far it’s that this World Cup will be won and lost in the air. France kicked 76% of possession away to beat New Zealand and England 96% to defeat Argentina. Australia spruik a ball-in-hand modus operandi but Nawaqanitawase is setting the world alight with his aerial skills.
The hard-running, hard-hitting Fiji side is filled with try scorers – it is why, until last week, they ranked seventh in the world and Australia ninth . With boosted funding from World Rugby and the Drua’s exposure to professionalism in Super Rugby, Fiji are already big picture winners. Their rugby revolution is flying and Australia’s is yet to take flight.
So ignore the history that says Fiji haven’t beaten Australia since 1954 and never at a World Cup, where Fiji has made quarter-finals twice in eight attempts. Look closer and you see that in their last World Cup meeting in Sapporo in 2019, Fiji led for a full hour before Australia scraped out a win. And note the respective lineups too, where seven of the men wearing gold jerseys boast Fijian blood.
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