Fiji showed plenty of passion when kicking off their Rugby League World Cup campaign with a 32-14 win over Ireland, but coach Rick Stone wants more polish when they face the Kangaroos.
Newcastle Knights winger Akuila Uate scored three of Fiji’s six tries and had another disallowed in Rochdale on Monday night, two years after journeying to England as part of Australia’s Four Nations squad.
Kevin Naiqama and brothers Tariq and Korbin Sims also grabbed four-pointers for Fiji in the rout of Ireland, who scored two tries in the last three minutes when the result was already beyond doubt.
The Bati, surprise semi-finalists at the 2008 World Cup, are on course for the quarter-finals given the top three from Group A – which also includes the Kangaroos and England – advance.
Fiji next face Tim Sheens’ Australian team on Saturday night (7am AEDT Sunday), pitting their skipper Petero Civoniceva against his former Kangaroos teammates.
Stone, assistant coach of NRL club Newcastle, wants a more clinical performance against the tournament favourites in St Helens.
“The important thing tonight was to get a win,” Stone said.
“It was probably pretty ugly at times but the intent was great.
“At times we defended a little bit spasmodically and with too much emotion.
“There was plenty of emotion in the game from our boys and that’s something we’ve got to control in the future if we’re going to be competitive against the better sides.”
Sheens was among the sellout crowd of 8800 at Spotland Stadium as Civoniceva spearheaded some bone-rattling defence for Fiji, starting his rugby league swansong with a team-high 27 tackles.
“We’ve got to be a bit smarter with it but overall I’m very pleased with the efforts from the boys,” Civoniceva said.
The tournament is the final chapter of the 37-year-old prop’s storied league career that featured 45 Tests for Australia, 33 State of Origins for Queensland and 309 NRL games for Brisbane and Penrith.
Uate opened and closed Fiji’s scoring.
He dragged two Irishmen over the line with him in the ninth minute, took another setup pass from fullback Kevin Naiqama for his second in the 64th, and bulldozed through four Irishmen for his third in the 73rd.
Ireland could be without fullback Scott Grix for their clash with England after he was helped off the park on Monday.
“He’ll go for a scan tomorrow,” Ireland coach Mark Aston said.
“It’s a short turnaround but we’ll patch them up and go again. We’re in the hardest group but we’ll look forward to it.”
Fiji bati
Guest
GO bati GO....!!!
antonio
Guest
Fiji will shock the league world this Saturday be beating the kangaroos! Im stopping off at the tab to place my wager on this arvo!
Elijah Weightman
Roar Guru
I hope to see a very close and intense match as well Bra Bra. It was a shame the Kumuls lost their opening game, they came so close. It's going to be quite hard for them to win a game now but with the Kumuls, you never know. With enough passion and a drive to win, you can succeed anywhere.
Bra Bra
Guest
I truly believe that Fiji will be the first pacific nation to beat a full strength Australian Kangaroos side this weekend. They go a long way to near matching the australian forward pack. In the backs with the exception of 6 and 7.. .fiji might actually better than australia. They have to not panic and defend sensibly and not trying to be too agressive. However in attack keep that fijian flair and throw caution to the wind. respect your opposition but do not look up to them. that invites a defeatist attitude. From a fanatic Kumuls fan...Goooo fiji this weekend. Do it for Melanesia !!! My prediction going by the quality of games i have seen so far. All of the big 3 are capable of losing to the minnows... and we will see one such game.
islandstyle
Guest
Well that's down to personal preference. Imho I believe that actually no he doesn't offer more...why? Well Hayne is a player who has pace and flair. You add him into a conventional backline team then he brings abit of spark and arguably abit more. In the Fijian backline he would have to be playing either wing or fullback. And you look at Fiji's wingers Uate and Koroibete first thing you notice is the Fijian flair and electric pace. You look at Naiqama at fullback he's steady, nippy and has quick and soft hands that is able to join the attack inside to provide service to the wingers or go on his own. In the Ireland game he did just that not only nicely but in a performance that bagged him man of the match. Now as a back three unit Uate, Naiqama and Koroibete compliment each other just right. Hayne could bring something different but as for better I'm not entirely convinced. With or without him Fiji will still have flair and electric pace. The only other choice is to have him at playmaker and the other Naiqama seems to be doing alright. As for the centres Waqa and Noilea are great. They do the job every time.
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
You don't think Hayne would offer more at fullback than Kevin Naiqama would? Or even at five-eighth?
islandstyle
Guest
Fiji's fullback Naiqama seems to be filling in quite alright at fullback with a man of the match performance against Ireland. As for the wings Uate and Koroibete are imho better and faster than Hayne. So all in all Hayne isn't a big loss.
Renegade
Roar Guru
This was a highly intense match... huge hits and hard running. I thought it was going to boil over a few times - the crowd were right into it. Fiji were really good, probably the most complete performance of the tournament so far.
Dayer
Guest
Hayne should have played for Fiji instead of being the second string player for the Kangaroos after all he did play for Fiji back in '08. What a waste of talent and promotion for the Fijian Nation. Australia is supposed to be the no 1 league nation and daylight second yet they could not let Hayne play for Fiji. Long live LEAGUE.