A heaving crowd piled into Churchill Park in Lautoka to watch Fiji score a thrilling 19-14 win over Pacific rivals Samoa in an intense and physical game.
It was the game that had been on the lips of all of Fiji since their disappointing outing against the Junior All Blacks last week – and the Flying Fijians didn’t disappoint their expectant fans.
It was an intriguing and bruising first half. Samoa dominated early possession and territory and Fiji. The Fijians struggled to launch meaningful attacks with what little possession they had as they were thwarted by the hulking Samoan midfield defence.
The experienced Samoan centre pairing of Gavin Williams and Seilala Mapasua did a stirling job shutting down the dangerous Fijian backline and it wasn’t until local superstar Vereniki Goneva replaced an injured Bolakoro in the 33rd minute that the Fijian backline began to light-up.
Fiji’s first meaningful venture into the Samoan half ended cruelly with a try disallowed because of an obstruction ruling. Referee Jonathan Kaplan’s patience ran out in the 25th minute when he sent Semisi Naevo to the bin for diving into the ruck – the third infringement in the Samoan 22 in five minutes.
By this stage Samoa were leading 9-3 after both teams exchanged penalties. The lead could have been greater had Samoa’s Gavin Williams brought his kicking boots – missing two penalties that the tournament’s third highest point-scorer would ordinarily have slotted with ease.
Kaplan, who is enjoying a similar status of celebrity as most of the players in Rugby-mad Fiji, blew time on a ferocious first half with Samoa holding a 9-3 advantage.
The second half began as the first finished – another penalty, this time converted by Seremaia Bai – clawing Samoa’s lead back to 3. Samoa 9-6.
As the bruising encounter took its toll on the increasingly tired teams, the Fijian backline started to look more dangerous and Goneva was coming into his element – thriving in the extra space that was starting to open up and perhaps reminding him of his familiar Sevens environment. In fact it was only desperate Samoan defence that prevented a try after an outstanding solo effort by Goneva that finished cruelly on the Samoan tryline.
It was only a matter of time though – from the very next scrum Goneva sliced through the Samoan defence to touch down next to the sticks – converted by Bai and for the first time in the match, Fiji had the lead – 13-9.
Bai extended the lead 10 minutes later courtesy of a penalty to Bai – Fiji16-9.
The seven-point deficit sparked the Samoan’s into action. Their backs – who were so impressive in the first half, were gelling once again and their forward pack were again providing them the possession they enjoyed so much of in the first half.
Such was the Samoan confidence that when a penalty was offered within kicking distance with 12 minutes to go, captain George Stowers opted for the tap. His faith was immediately rewarded when replacement halfback Notise Tauafao pounced over the line after the Samoan forwards monstered their Fijian counterparts and forced the ball to spit out the back of the ruck in the right corner to bring Samoa within two points. The try went unconverted to leave the score 16-14 in favour of Fiji.
If the players had any energy left to talk to each other in the final minutes it would have been in vain – such was the ferocity of the cheering from the delirious crowd. When Bai extended the lead with another penalty kick with just six minutes to go, Fiji had a 19-14 lead and the crowd on their feet. Samoa literally threw everything at Fiji for the final five minutes, yet the defence held solid and when Kaplan blew for full time, Lautoka exploded.
