[2014 EOYT] Wales vs Fiji

[Muzzy]

Its not double standards at all. Yes all teams have been guilty of dangerous hits but you go back over the years and the PI nations have committed more late/dangerous hits than most. There was a reason Brian Lima was called "The Chiropractor" and it wasnt do to with his medical skills.

No it was to do with his hard but LEGAL hits. I remember last time fiji played wales in Cardiff Bai was yellow carded for what IMO was a hard but legal tackle. The ref said it was a spear but he put him down safely and didn't go past the horizontal line. I guess islanders are known for their big hits but there's a risk if you miss time it so they have a rep for dangerous tackles. Because of that rep they can get unfairly penalised for times they make hard but legal hits too. I hope that doesn't happen in this game

 

[Draggs]

Gatland doesn't want players criticised.
I assume he means it's OK if it is done in the press though:

"I'm really disappointed in the half-back performance, in both Richard and Dan Biggar," Howley said.

BBC

 

[Jbobo]

No it was to do with his hard but LEGAL hits. I remember last time fiji played wales in Cardiff Bai was yellow carded for what IMO was a hard but legal tackle. The ref said it was a spear but he put him down safely and didn't go past the horizontal line. I guess islanders are known for their big hits but there's a risk if you miss time it so they have a rep for dangerous tackles. Because of that rep they can get unfairly penalised for times they make hard but legal hits too. I hope that doesn't happen in this game

It is the responsibility of the tackler that if they are going to make big and hard hits, that it is not missed. I don't take the notion that the bad rep that Pacific Island teams have for illegal and dangerous tackles is false, which is what you're saying. If anything, i think they get away with it a lot more because there is an expectation that they are physical and will tackle hard.

I remember the last game Wales played Samoa, where they won and deservedly so. However, there were literally about half a dozen high or simply uncalled for illegal tackles which were not picked up by the officials. These usually are 'borderline' tackles which are hard to spot. For instance, a legal looking tackle which does not use the arms - dangerous but often missed.

If Fiji commit illegal tackles tomorrow and get pinged for it - It will be their own fault, not that of their bad 'rep'.

I expect Fiji to come out guns blazing though, as they will be desperate for a performance against a classic rival and World Cup opponent.

 

[Thingimubob]

No it was to do with his hard but LEGAL hits. I remember last time fiji played wales in Cardiff Bai was yellow carded for what IMO was a hard but legal tackle. The ref said it was a spear but he put him down safely and didn't go past the horizontal line. I guess islanders are known for their big hits but there's a risk if you miss time it so they have a rep for dangerous tackles. Because of that rep they can get unfairly penalised for times they make hard but legal hits too. I hope that doesn't happen in this game

Not sure about that Bai tackle being legal! I'll admit I've seen far far worse, but it was definitely worthy of a penalty , just about a yellow too.

I'm interested to see how Matevesi goes at 10, really struggling to see him as a tactical playmaker. Been rather bish bash bosh for the ospreys, with the occasional chip in behind. Could be an area that Wales can target in defence, shut the Fijian ball down at source.

Scrums could be interesting too, anyone know how they went vs France? Not a fan of Ma'afu, never did much at all in a Blues shirt. No idea who his fellow front rowers are, bar the fact that I know one plays in the French D2 and the other in Romania.

Always find it nuts how interchangeable the Fijian back line is. Could probably switch them all round and it wouldn't make too much of a difference, would be just as dangerous!

 

[nickdnz]

Unfortunately for Fiji I don't see their discipline improving any time soon. In the last two or three years their U20 team has been managing what seems like a red card per game.

 

[Jaguares]

An easy win for the Welsh

Wales by 20

 

[Blackdevil]

Love fiji but i don't see how they coul beat wales, they disapointed me against france, i expect better from them with these players (just missed 3 players against france)
So Wales by 15-20, i hope fiji suprised me this time, you never know with them and wales is the north hemisphere's nation has the most difficulties with PI nations (except Italy of course) but i'm not very optimistic

 

[Will]

Looking forward to seeing how the two Glasgow boys Matawalu and Nakawara play for Fiji in this game. It's well known how much of a livewire Niko can be, but I've always been impressed with Nakwara's ball handling/carrying and the way he looks to play the offload and set up attacks. Could be interesting.

 

[Jbobo]

Already very unimpressed with Priestland, any top 7 team would have finished from his mistake.

I was going to say before, that i was nervous about this game. I think the reality is that Wales have developed a kind of arrogant mentality against the lower teams. Pacific team, Japan etc, they do lift their game against us and we never seem to match the intensity. We need to understand that we do not have a god given right to beat these teams.

The number of missed tackles and ball overturned is not good enough. We keep losing the ball in the contact never seen so many spills. We should be well ahead right now.

Not to take anything away from Fiji who I think have really showed up and are having a go.

 

[Blackdevil]

So many opportunities missed by fiji especially by Nayacalevu and Matadigo (who deserves a good slap) and i don't know why they want to scores by penalties with Nadolo instead of making tries, the welsh defense isn't good at all.

 

[TVH11]

Unbelievably scrappy game which kind of makes it exciting. These games always happen against islanders - mostly down to the fact we don't give the islander teams the respect they deserve/ and also we aren't as good as we think! I think this will be a close one

 

[SelimNiai]

This game has gone odd. Its like all 29 players are just winging it and just playing by ear rather than using any definable game plans.

Disappointing by how we've played in the backs in this second half, too often we are just shoveling the ball up and down the 3/4's and nobody changing angle or challenging the Fiji defence.

EDIT: Liam Williams has been our best back, only one who seems to want to attack at any sort of tempo.

MORE EDIT: Ive gone from frustrated to hacked off. This game should have been dead and buried ages ago. And suddenly through yet more sloppy Wales play its a 3 point game. No way in hell should this game be so close.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Some unbelievable officiating decisions in this game!

 

[LittleGuy]

I only caught the last five minutes....why did Fiji kick away possesion at the end LOLz, they might as well have kicked it out and ended the game themselves.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

One of the worst international games I have ever seen.

 

[SelimNiai]

One of the worst international games I have ever seen.

Standard practise for us playing Samoa/Tonga/Fiji. Maybe the only way to get us to play even remotely OK is a schedule the feckin Cook Islands or Vana-bloody-uatu next AI.

 

[Arms In]

Fiji could've won that game - disappionted that they didn't.

 

[Big Ewis]

you've got to be kidding me...like, no knock on Wales but Fiji down to 14 with a red and the home side stays at 17 points ..the whole - way ???...wow...well this is encouraging for France if we managed 40 while being mediocre for about 60% of the effective game time...not sure what this score means. Were Fiji really good in this, or did Wales just decide to play like a tier 2 nation ???

It was the same thing last year: a shiitty France managed 40 on Tonga, which Wales only managed about 17 over...strange from Wales.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Very poor performance by Wales as they played against 14 for much of the match, they need to get a game plan next week for the AB 's or there will be a massive defeat for Wales. Wales backs very mediocre and some very bad decisions were made, if the Fijians had played a little better they could have one this.

 

[SelimNiai]

you've got to be kidding me...like, no knock on Wales but Fiji down to 14 with a red and the home side stays at 17 points ..the whole - way ???...wow...well this is encouraging for France if we managed 40 while being mediocre for about 60% of the effective game time...not sure what this score means. Were Fiji really good in this, or did Wales just decide to play like a tier 2 nation ???

It was the same thing last year: a shiitty France managed 40 on Tonga, which Wales only managed about 17 over...strange from Wales.

Dunno if this is just an impact thought but

We. Were. Awful. Fiji weren't much cop either. Only time Nadolo ran with the ball more than 4 or 5m was the intercept try at the end. Matawalu was their best player and really should have had a couple more players see a yellow card than just Ma'afu