Rugby World Cup 2019 – Georgia vs Fiji: Result and reaction from Pool D fixture
Re-live all the action from the Hanazono Rugby Stadium
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Your support makes all the difference.Fiji finally found their flair as they bounced back from their shock World Cup defeat by Uruguay with a resounding 45-10 win over Georgia that sent a warning to their next opponents Wales.
Back-to-back defeats at the hands of Australia and Uruguay had left Fiji bottom of Pool D but a bonus-point victory over Georgia boosted their hopes of a top-three finish that would guarantee automatic qualification for the 2023 World Cup.
Winger Semi Radradra was the star of the show, helping create his side's first three tries before going on to claim two of his own as Fiji cut loose with 28 points in the last 20 minutes of the match at the Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka. Re-live the action below:
What time is it?
Georgia vs Fiji kicks off at 2.15pm Japan Standard Time, which is 6.15am BST, on Thursday 3 October.
Where can I watch it?
ITV4 will be broadcasting the clash. Alternatively, you can live stream the match via the ITV Hub on your smartphone, tablet or laptop.
14 minutes
Peceli Yato is everywhere so far, and nearly wins a turnover with pure power, but just fumbles forward.
Levani Botia is then pulled up for not working hard enough to roll away after making a tackle. The rain is really coming down now. Penalty Georgia, and they will look to get the scoring underway.
15 minutes
Soso Matiashvili is Georgia's left-footed kicker today, and the fullback strikes his first effort nicely, but it slides wide of the posts.
Chance missed. Matiashvili is disappointed.
16 minutes
Brilliant play from Fiji in their own half, with Levani Botia showing a good touch for a big man and dabbing a lovely chip over the top for centre partner Waisea Nayacalevu to gather superbly at his knees. Ben Volavola hoists a cross field kick for Semi Radradra who nearly grabs it, but just knocks on as he comes down to floor.
19 minutes
This has been smart from Georgia so far. Fiji have had a little bit of attacking joy but they have been forced to play from within their own half, and often inside their 22. Another good touch-finder is prodded between the lines.
TRY! But that is what Fiji can do!
A little grubber through from Ben Volavola looks to be trickling over the touchline, but it takes a friendly bounce for Semi Radradra, who gets onto it and flips a quick pass inside to the support Waisea Nayacalevu, and the outside centre has the gas to race away to score our first points of the day.
Brilliantly kicked conversion from Ben Volavola, too. Seven points for Fiji.
Georgia 0-7 Fiji
22 minutes
Semi Radradra rises like a skyscraper to claim a high ball. A rugby league convert, of course, he did plenty of that in the NRL and is a fine aerial operator. Defuses a high bomb of real quality from Georgia again.
23 minutes
Levani Botia is a big and tough man, but he is dropped by an inadvertent wrist into the schnoz as he takes contact near his own 22. He's swiftly back amongst things, and Fiji will set a lineout at the opposite end.
24 minutes
That's Georgia's problem channel - a worked move at the back of the lineout with hooker Sam Matavesi looping around the maul feint to sashay through a seam from an inside pass.
But that's fine defence - Davit Kacharava gets over the ball and wins a holding on penalty to end the danger.
26 minutes
Semi Radradra again takes a high kick well and is taken in the air.
He's utilised from the resulting lineout, too, and appears to be taken a touch high. Nothing called, but Georgia transgress two rucks later and Fiji will push the ball into the corner for a lineout.
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