Ireland vs Fiji LIVE rugby: Result and reaction from autumn international as Ireland cruise to win

Teti Tela drops ball to floor and brings his right boot through it - we are underway in Dublin!

Ireland face up to the Fijian pre-match challenge.

Right, kick-off imminent - will Ireland make it two wins from two?

Fiji produces a typically emotional version of “Meda Dau Doka“, some eyes shut, foreheads to the heavens.

Ireland’s two anthems get the crowd going, the Aviva not perhaps in the voice it was for the visit of South Africa last week, but certainly up for the challenge. Captain Tadhg Furlong roars out the final notes at the end of the Irish line.

Michael D Higgins is out on the Aviva Stadium turf, glad-handing with the two sides and match officials. Mathieu Raynal, he of the controversial call at the end of the Australia-New Zealand game during the summer, takes the whistle today after a late switch of referee having originally not been due to oversee a major fixture during this autumn.

But Jaco Peyper’s injury has opened the door; Chris Hart will assist from the TMO chair where required.

Right, this could be fascinating. Can this changed Ireland team show the same sort of cohesion that usually defines Andy Farrell’s side?

Some wonderful pot stirring from Vern Cotter this week, with the Fiji coach claiming that Ireland would be using this game simply as a “training session” and were “barely looking at” Fiji with attention already on next week’s encounter against Australia.

Simon Easterby, Ireland’s defence coach, did not agree with that assessment, dismissing any suggestion that his side had overlooked the challenge facing them this afternoon.

"We’ve certainly invested plenty of time into understanding the threats they’ll pose, the opportunities that might present themselves if we play a certain way," said Easterby yesterday. "Believe me we’ve worked hard on making sure that these guys are prepped in the right way, as they would be for any international."

It will be a proud afternoon for Tadhg Furlong, the tighthead captaining a side at senior level for the first time. Furlong, who celebrates his 30^th birthday on Monday, has overcome an ankle injury to start and admits it is an honour of which he “never dreamed”.

“I never even thought of it,” said the 29-year-old. “You know when you dream as a young fella, you want to play for Ireland, you want to play for Leinster, you want to play for the Lions – I never even dreamed of captaining Ireland.”

Vilimoni Botitu drops out through injury, though Teti Tela may have started at fly-half anyway, with Ben Volavola back amongst things on the bench to give Cotter the option of a second specialist ten in the squad. Kini Murimurivalu is another absentee, with Setareki Tuicuvu shifting to full back and Jiuta Wainiqolo, one of many of this squad to have translated their sevens skills successfully to the French Top 14, worth watching on the right wing.

Adrea Cocagi is in line for a debut in the backs from the bench.

“We want to give everybody a try during these three test matches. There is an opportunity for everybody to play and grow,” said head coach Vern Cotter.

“We will have to step up against Ireland. There is three main access we are working on; we want to work on how we carry the ball and clean the ball so have to provide a fastball, we want to improve our defence and we want to be on top of our game in our set piece.

Fiji XV: E Mawi, S Matavesi, M Saulo; I Nasilasila, RL Rotuisolia; A Tuisue, L Botia, V Mata; F Lomani, T Tela; V Habosi, K Ravouvou, Waisea N (capt.), J Wainiqolo; S Tuicuvu.

Replacements: M Dolokoto, L Natave, L-R Atalifo, A Ratuniyarawa, J Dyer; S Kuruvoli, B Volavola, A Cocagi.

As expected, Andy Farrell does make a number of changes to the Ireland side that survived South Africa last weekend – though not, perhaps, as many as some predicted. Farrell said this week that a few of his fringe squad members had cost themselves an appearance by failing to impress for Ireland A against an All Blacks XV last week.

"People don’t just get a Test match when they’re not performing at their best," said the Ireland coach. "There is definitely an element of that."

There are still a handful of new faces, though: loosehead Jeremy Loughman makes his debut opposite captain Tadhg Furlong in the front row, while rangy forward Cian Prendergast and talented Munster playmaker Jack Crowley could do likewise from the bench. Jimmy O’Brien, so impressive on his first cap in the centres last week, begins at full back.

Ireland XV: J Loughman, R Herring, T Furlong (capt.); T Beirne, J Ryan; C Doris, N Timoney, J Conan; J Gibson-Park, J Carbery; M Hansen, S McCloskey, R Henshaw; R Baloucoune; J O’Brien.

Replacements: D Sheehan, C Healy, T O’Toole, C Prendergast, M Deegan, C Casey, J Crowley, G Ringrose.

Right, on to this packed afternoon slate, and Ireland vs Fiji. Fiji showed some very, very good things in the first half against Scotland last week but this is a step up in standard, even if this is a rotated Irish side.

Let’s have a look at those two 23s...