The long wait for a first Test win since 7 October 2023 continues for Wales after Fiji notched a famous first win on Welsh soil with a thrilling 24-19 triumph at Principality Stadium.
New cap Blair Murray took a mere eight minutes to notch his first international try and Warren Gatland’s men led 14-3 midway through the first half.
But the Fijians came on strong in the second half to take the lead and make a piece of history as they won for the first time against Wales on Welsh soil 60 years on from their first visit.
Wales put Fiji under pressure from the first minute with a driving line out but great defensive work from the visitors kept them a bay. But not for long.
In the eighth minute Murray crowned his first appearance in red with the fifth fastest modern day try on Wales debut as he profited from great hands by the Cardiff trio Ben Thomas, Mason Grady and Cam Winnett to score in the left corner.
Gareth Anscombe added the extras and Wales were off to a flyer. It was the fifth fastest try on debut by a Welsh player after Barry Williams after two minutes against France in 1996, Gareth Cooper’s sixth minute score against Italy in 2001, George North’s first score against South Africa in 2010 at the same time and Simon Hill’s seventh minute try against Zimbabwe in 1993.
Caleb Muntz knocked over a 42 metre penalty to reduce the arrears before Wales got over the line again. This time it was Winnett who picked a great line to take a pass from Tomos Williams and squeeze over from a few metres out.
The score was eventually ruled out because of an early infringement at a ruck in the build up at which Tommy Reffell was spotted taking out Semi Radradra.
He was given a yellow card but Wales maintained their pressure with a kick into the corner from a penalty. The drive came on and ended in a penalty try and yellow card for the Fijian No 8 Elia Canakaivata midway through the opening half.
Two minutes later Radradra was shown a yellow card for a reckless, head high challenge on Winnett to reduce the visitors to 13 men. His offence was later upgraded to a 20-minute red card.
Muntz then cantered 30 metres to the Welsh line for a try he also converted to cut the gap to four points. It looked as though the Fijians would go into the break ahead when Muntz twice kicked to the corner and on the second occasion the visitors drove for the line and were awarded a penalty try.
Worse still, French referee Luc Ramos indicated a yellow card for a home forward. On review, the TMO noticed a shift drive and obstruction, there was no yellow card and a penalty instead to Wales.
So, the first half ended with Wales in with their noses in front at 14-10, but it didn’t stay that way for long. Two Muntz penalties in the first 10 minutes of the second half took them into a 16-14 lead to keep them in striking range of a famous first win on Welsh soil.
The lead went out to 21-14 when blockbusting centre Josua Tuisova stepped out of two tackles to score in the right corner. This time Muntz missed the conversion and Wales hit back five minutes later with a try by replacement Ellis Bevan a minute after he came on as a wing replacement for Gareth Anscombe.
He popped up on the opposite wing to take a pass from Winnett and race to the line. Unfortunately, Sam Costelow wasn’t able to hit the mark with his conversion and the gap was two points.
Fiji thought they had scored in the right corner once again through full back Vuate Karawalevu in the 74th minute, but the score was ruled out for a forward pass. The Fijians still had a penalty to come back to in front of the home posts and man of the match Muntz took his personal tally for the game up to 19 with another successful kick.
Wales threw everything into attack in the dying moments and a Costelow penalty deep into the right corner gave them a platform to use. They won the line-out, got up to within five metres, but then knocked on to conceded possession at the critical moment.
Now it is on to Australia and South Africa to try to break what is now a run of 10 successive defeats.
