by Rajitha Ratwatte

The first of two tests All Blacks vs Fiji played in the dead of winter in Dunedin at the Forsyth Barr Stadium with the roof up. At least that meant dry conditions underfoot, but the temperature remained below 10 degrees Celsius! Fiji missing just three of their players (two halfbacks) who were trapped in Australia due to Covid 19 but having all their European players back in the fold. The AB’s captained by Aaron Smith with Brodie Retallick back in the second row and Beauden Barret starting at no10. The Fijians had come to PLAY and Retallick soon found that this was a different level to the rugby he had been playing in Japan, having the ball ripped away from him in the loose and the Fijians opening the scoring with a penalty earned in loose play right in front of the posts. 0-3 inside five minutes. Three minutes later the Blacks retaliated off a line out, having had their rolling maul stopped, the left-winger joined the line and a series of great passes by the three-quarters saw Jordie Barret who was in the number 15 jersey score mid-right. Duly converted by his brother Beauden 7–3 NZ ahead. Fiji came right back earning another penalty and having Volavola convert with ease 7-6 with just over 12 minutes played. David Havili playing his first home match for the ABs in the number 12 shirt showed his skills scoring twice in quick succession, once stepping nicely off his left foot and the second time breaking three tackles. Barret senior was able to convert both 21–6. 23 minutes into the game Beauden Barret collected a nasty injury to his eye and face by getting in the way of a flailing boot and had to go off for repairs. The Fiji forwards were playing very well and actually getting the better of the ABs in the loose. The Fijians had the services of the Crusaders forwards coach and he had obviously done a great job. So much so that they scored an unconverted try in the 27th minute and kept many determined attacks by the Blacks at bay until halftime to finish the scoreline reading 21 – 11.

The Abs scored first after the break with George Bridges going over the line from another great move by the backs. David Havili again looping around from first center and forming the overlap. Only a five pointer as Barret senior who was back on the field but looking bruised and battered missing the kick 26–11. Fijians pulled off a great move in front of the line out and caught the ABs blind side defence napping scoring another unconverted try and taking the score to 26–16. At this point around 50 minutes into the game, the ABs replaced their entire front row and Dan Coles came in at no2. Coles went straight into the limelight scoring in what has become his trademark method, off a rolling maul starting off a line out inside 10 meters in opposition territory. Scoreline 31–16. The Fijians continued to put the ABs defence under severe pressure and earned themselves a penalty and a yellow card for David Havili (collapsing a maul with a “hot” ball) who had played an exemplary game up to that point. 31–21 in the 63rd minute and the Blacks one man short. Dan Coles was not intimidated however and scored another of his trademarks that Beaudie was able to convert taking the score to 38–21. Will Jordan who had five tries in last week’s annihilation of Tonga came on off the bench and strolled over the line off a great long pass by Beauden Barret who was coming into his own and realizing that this level was different from the rugby he had been playing in Japan! Barret couldn’t convert, however, and the score read 43–23. The last stages of the game had been reached and the ABs put on their famous spurt with Dan Coles scoring twice more, one “trademark” and the other by pouncing on a loose ball well inside Fijian territory. Coles became the first ABs forward in history to score four tries in a test match and Beauden Barret converted both tries to take the final score to 57–23.

The ABs had always scored over 60 points against Fiji in the past and the Fijians had never scored 23 points against the Blacks.

A much more closely contested game than what was seen last week and even a different level of rugby. Fiji is going to make a welcome entry to the first level of xv a side world rugby. This may also serve as a good call to the coaches and selectors of the stronger sides not to succumb to pressure from the press and choose weaker sides for what is deemed “lesser opposition”. Some sections of the press insinuated that the NZ teams were almost guilty of sin, by winning so comfortably last week against Tonga and Samoa!

The Samoans who gave much better opposition to the Maori All Blacks last week showed their superiority over Tonga by beating them 42–13 earlier in the afternoon after leading by only 6–3 at halftime.

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