Wales equal record losing streak with Fiji defeat

Wales (14) 19

Tries: Murray, Penalty try, Bevan Con: Anscombe

Fiji (10) 24

Tries: Muntz, Tuisova Con: Muntz Pens: Muntz 4

Warren Gatland's Wales equalled the country's grounds losing planetary streak of 10 successive Test defeats aft Fiji triumphed successful Cardiff.

Fiji fly-half Caleb Muntz scored 19 points arsenic the visitors sealed a archetypal triumph successful Wales, contempt helping Semi Radradra receiving a first-half 20-minute reddish paper for a unsafe tackle connected full-back Cameron Winnett.

An ill-disciplined archetypal fractional saw French referee Luc Ramos besides amusement yellowish cards to Wales flanker Tommy Reffell and Fiji fig 8 Elia Canakaivata.

Wales led 14-10 astatine half-time done a effort for caller headdress Blair Murray and a punishment effort but Muntz responded with a superb solo score.

Muntz's footwear and a effort from centre Joshua Tuisova stretched the lead, earlier replacement Ellis Bevan reduced the shortage with a 3rd Wales try.

Any anticipation of a location revival was dashed by Muntz's precocious footwear and Wales spurning a last-minute opportunity.

Wales caput manager Gatland had indicated helium hoped for ecstasy alternatively than agony this play but that was not to beryllium the lawsuit and his presumption volition travel nether scrutiny.

Welsh rugby is successful situation connected and disconnected the tract and that is demonstrated by the grounds of the men's nationalist side.

Sunday represented 400 days since Gatland's broadside past won a Test erstwhile they defeated Georgia successful a World Cup excavation lucifer successful Nantes successful October 2023.

Nine planetary defeats person followed including a World Cup quarter-final exit against Argentina, including a Six Nations Wooden Spoon and summertime losses against South Africa and Australia.

This reversal has seen this Wales harvest adjacent the grounds debased of 10 Test losses connected the bounce acceptable successful 2002 and 2003 nether Steve Hansen.

With Wales facing a rejuvenated Australia adjacent Sunday earlier the accomplishment of satellite champions South Africa, Gatland's broadside look the grim imaginable of not winning an planetary lucifer successful a calendar twelvemonth for the archetypal clip since 1937.

In that twelvemonth Wales lone played 3 games, but they volition beryllium progressive successful 11 internationals successful 2024.

For Fiji, it represented a 2nd planetary triumph successful 15 games against Wales to travel up the World Cup triumph successful 2007.

Wales missed 32 tackles, conceded 12 turnovers and 12 penalties and, though they managed 18 palmy line-outs, they could not rather summation the precocious manus connected the scoreboard.

The 2 sides met for the archetypal clip since the World Cup thriller successful Bordeaux astir 14 months agone which Wales won 32-26.

Radradra started on with Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo and skipper Waisea Nayacalevu successful included successful a star-studded Fijian backline aft missing the 57-17 decision by Scotland past weekend.

Gatland's broadside opened the scoring with a clever attacking determination to springiness caller helping Murray a imagination debut.

The New Zealand-born backmost stepped into the Test lucifer arena aft conscionable six games for the Scarlets since arriving for the commencement of the 2024-25 season.

It was a singular emergence for the 23-year-old who had travel done the New Zealand strategy but qualified for Wales due to the fact that his parent is from Tonyrefail.

After lone 8 minutes helium was a Test effort scorer. A beardown midfield burst from returning centre Max Llewellyn provided the level for clever organisation from Gareth Anscombe and Thomas to merchandise Grady and Winnett, to let Murray to canter successful with Anscombe converting.

The determination demonstrated the benefits of having 2 playmakers successful the backline, with Anscombe returning astatine fly-half and Thomas switching to wrong centre from the fig 10 helium had occupied for Wales successful the summer. The hosts were not capable to replicate that overmuch much during the afternoon.

Fiji responded with a Muntz punishment earlier Wales thought they had scored their 2nd effort done Winnett. It was ruled retired erstwhile flanker Reffell was shown a yellowish paper for a unsafe clearout successful the build-up to Radradra's head.

Wales retaliated with different driving maul, which forced Fiji to concede a punishment effort and led to Canakaivata's yellowish card.

Gatland was forced into a backline alteration with Grady forced disconnected injured and Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow coming connected to play retired of presumption connected the wing.

Wales had taken a enactment gamble by lone selecting 2 backs connected the seat with nary specializer centre oregon helping replacement.

It was 14 against 13 erstwhile Radadra was initially shown a yellowish card, but Fiji responded contempt their numerical disadvantage with a good idiosyncratic converted effort from Muntz arsenic helium evaded 5 Wales defenders.

Fiji received the quality Radradra's yellowish paper was updated to a 20-minute reddish paper aft a bunker review, the archetypal clip Wales person been progressive successful this World Rugby proceedings process.

Despite this, Fiji appeared to person taken the pb with an attacking driving maul that had yielded a punishment effort but was ruled retired for obstruction.

The people was chalked disconnected arsenic Wales led 14-10 astatine half-time earlier Fiji were restored to 15 men with the accomplishment of Bayonne centre Sireli Maqala, the starring effort scorer successful France's Top 14 league.

Muntz reduced the shortage to 1 constituent earlier Wales utilized 4 of their six guardant replacements astatine erstwhile with front-row trio Nicky Smith, Ryan Elias and Keiron Assiratti introduced.

Flanker Jac Morgan made an interaction arsenic helium came connected for Reffell and took implicit the captaincy pursuing the departure of hooker Dewi Lake.

Muntz gave Fiji the pb for the archetypal clip with a punishment earlier Murray was denied a 2nd people aft the walk was deemed forward.

Wales turned down punishment kicks astatine extremity contempt lone trailing by 2 points earlier a backline reshuffle saw Cardiff scrum-half Bevan regenerate Anscombe, coming onto the helping with Costelow switching to fly-half.

Bevan made an contiguous content arsenic helium crossed successful the right-hand country but Costelow missed the accidental to level the scores with the conversion.

Fiji full-back Vuate Karawalevu appeared to person clinched triumph earlier a walk from Muntz was deemed forward. Although the people was disallowed, Muntz slotted implicit a penalty.

Wales had 1 last accidental but erstwhile replacement hooker Elias spilled possession successful the Fiji 22, the visitors could commencement celebrating.

Wales: Winnett; Grady, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Murray; Anscombe, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Griffin, Rowlands, Beard, Plumtree, Reffell, Wainwright.

Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Assiratti, Tshiunza, Botham, J Morgan, Bevan, Costelow.

Sin-bin: Reffell 15

Fiji: Karawalevu; Wainiqolo, Nayacalevu (capt), Tuisova, Radradra; Muntz, Lomani; Mawi, Ikanivere, Tawake, Nasilasila, Mayanavanua, Derenalagi, Salawa, Canakaivata.

Replacements: Matavesi, Hetet, Koroiduadua, Vocevoce, Tuisue, Kuruvoli, Ravula, Maqala.

Sin-bin: Canakaivata 18

Red card: Radradra 21

Referee: Luc Ramos (France)

Assistant referees: Pierre Brousset (France), Hollie Davidson (Scotland)

Television lucifer authoritative (TMO): Eric Gauzins.