Wales vs Fiji LIVE: Rugby result, final score and reaction from 2021 Autumn internationals
Follow live reaction from Cardiff after Wales held off a brave Fiji performance to claim their first win in the Autumn Nations Series
Wales have held off a brave effort from 14-man Fiji to bounce back from consecutive defeats and secure their first victory of the Autumn Nations Series.
After visitors Fiji made an impressive start at the Principality Stadium by taking the lead through captain Waisea Nayacalevu, the match was seemingly set to turn when winger Eroni Sau was sent off for a swinging elbow on Alex Cuthbert.
But despite two further yellow cards, either side of half time, Fiji were able to retake the lead when Nayacalevu added his second in a sensational team score, after Wales had briefly hit back through Keiran Hardy and Ryan Elias.
And it wasn’t until late in the match that Wales were able to breathe comfortably, with Louis Rees-Zammit producing an electric finish after chasing down his own kick and player-of-the-match Liam Williams adding a sixth try when the clock was in the red.
Follow below for all the reaction from the Autumn Nations Series match:
TRY! Wales 14-13 Fiji (HARDY 38’)
Wales, inevitably, score the try from the scrum, as scrum-half Keiran Hardy wheels into the space and finds the gap in the Fiji defence to score outside of the posts.
Biggar adds the conversion to give Wales the lead for the first time, shortly before the break.
YELLOW CARD! Wales 7-13 Fiji
37 mins: Fiji are down to 13 men after giving away persistent penalties when defending their try-line!
Wales worked the ball up to 12 phases following the lineout, first through the forwards and then out wide to Cuthbert, but they couldn’t get across.
Fiji stood strong but they pay the prince for committing several infringements, and it’s a tough ask to hold on now with 13.
Wales are going to scrum from five metres out.
Wales 7-13 Fiji
34 mins: Wales win the ball back from the lineout as Beard makes the strip. Wales then look to play it out from the back, as Cuthbert makes a break around the outside. Thomas Youngs finds a gap to bring Wales to outside the Fiji 22, as the play comes back following a Fiji penalty.
Biggar goes back to touch.
Wales 7-13 Fiji
32 mins: Oh no, Wales then turn the ball over needlessly as scrum-half Hardy throws the ball straight out of play as he looked to pass to Rees-Zammit on the wing.
Wales 7-13 Fiji
31 mins: Fiji won another penalty from their lineout after Rowlands reached across as he tried to tip the ball.
Fiji kicked for the Wales 22 but they then lost the ball and it comes back for a Wales scrum following a knock-on.
Wales 7-13 Fiji
29 mins: Fiji don’t contest the lineout, but it’s another big stand from them as they hold the Wales maul back.
Matavesi then wins the penalty at the breakdown, and Fiji are able to clear.
Wales 7-13 Fiji
28 mins: Wales head to the corner following the penalty and looked to drive the maul towards the line, just as they did for the first try. Fiji stand strong this time, before Biggar takes a big hit as the ball comes back. Nothing comes from the penalty advantage and it comes back, as Biggar picks himself up to kick back to the corner.
RED CARD! Wales 7-13 Fiji
It’s red. Eroni Sau has been sent off. The initial tackle was fine, but Sau caught Williams with his elbow, needlessly, as he went in for a second time. It’s not an unanimous decision from the officials, but one they eventually got right, in my view.
Wales 7-13 Fiji
24 mins: Eroni Sau crunches into another big hit, this time on Johnny Williams, and it’s not until a few moments later that the officials pick up on the second contact from the Fiji winger, which is an elbow towards the head.
This could be a red.
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