Australia 28 Fiji 13
Australia failed to secure a bonus point after fading in the final 20 minutes, but before that they had shown class and character in a match that was at times gruesomely physical but contained moments of high skill.
The Wallabies did not allow themselves to be drawn into an open, unstructured game, scoring their first two tries from driving lineouts and matching the ferocity of Fiji’s tackling. The ploy of playing David Pocock and Michael Hooper in the back row worked again, with the latter ruthless in the way he brought ball-carriers down.
Australia have repaired themselves from the rubble of 11 months ago and, if their attacking scrum made no impression on Fiji and their line-out fell apart in the final quarter, they look the most cohesive side in the group on the evidence of the opening week.
The opening exchanges were fierce: the wing Waisea Nayacalevu was injured in Fiji’s first attack of the game, twisting his right knee after a powerful tackle by Hooper, who was then knocked to the ground trying to challenge the wing’s replacement, Asaeli Tikoirotuma.
The crowd was fervently behind Fiji, which will not be the case when they return here next week to face Wales and, after Bernard Foley has given the Wallabies the lead with a penalty, the islanders enjoyed a period of dominance without turning pressure into tries.
They equalised through the boot of Nemani Nadolo, but the second quarter was all Australia’s. They used five lineouts to harvest 15 points; 12 from two David Pocock tries from driving mauls, the first of which was converted by Foley, who added a further three with a penalty.
Fiji were down to 14 men by the time of Pocock’s second try. The prop Campese Ma’afu, who on his last appearance here in November against Wales was sent off for receiving two yellow cards, was banished to the sin-bin for kicking the ball out of the hands of the scrum-half Will Genia at a ruck.
Fiji, who needed to win after the opening night defeat to England, continued their indisciplined ways after the break and, after Israel Folau broke the defence, the prop Sekope Kepu finished off.
Fiji, though, were not finished. When the scrum-half Nikola Matawalu was replaced on 49 minutes, it seemed to liberate his half-back partner, Ben Volavola, who is based in Sydney with the Waratahs. One shimmering break led to the position from where he again jinked away from defenders and scored under the posts.
Australia’s quest for the bonus point was undermined when they lost three of their own lineouts in a row, the first five metres from Fiji’s line and plundered by Leone Nakarawa – a second row whose off-loads were one of the features of the night.
Foley’s third penalty put Australia 15 points ahead, but after the replacement prop James Slipper was taken off after appearing to be temporarily knocked out trying to tackle the flanker Paceli Yato, the Wallabies settled for what they had.
