The Fiji Under-18 team recorded its first win on their Australia Tour, beating the New South Wales Combined High Schools 40-10 last night at Granville Park.

What can not be classed as their best performance they can muster, the Fiji side did not strike up a strong performance and was lucky to have come away with an 8-5 lead at halftime.

“We arrived just a day before so the boys were pretty rusty,” coach Lionel Danford said.

The Australian Rugby Union website reported how Fiji scored the first try in the fifth minute but failed to dominate play as their hosts defended their turf.

“This is the first time for most if not all of the boys in the team and it’s not an excuse but I think the boys need to get their feet on the ground.”

Danford said he was pleased with the win but added they could not afford any mistakes
for the remainder of the tour.

Fijian fly-half Avouvou scored the first half try beneath the posts.

Fullback Sera Nakaitaci scored two tries in the final spell while winger Nasoni Naquru earned a five pointer which took the score out to 21-5.

Prop Semesa Turagabeci gave his contribution with two tries to his name.

Fiji plays three more matches, Australian Schools A side at Knox Grammar this Saturday in Sydney and the ISA 1ST XV (Independent Schools Association) in Bowral next Wednesday.

The tour will end in a final match showdown against the Australian Schoolboys at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium on Saturday 13th - the curtain raiser to the highly anticipated Bledisloe Cup and Tri Nations decider between the Qantas Wallabies and the New Zealand All Blacks.

Fijilive

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