Fiji flyhalf Simione Kuruvoli . . . kickable options saw him stepping up to the mark, claiming crucial points. Image: WRC2023\/RNZ Pacific<\/figcaption><\/figure>\nKickable options saw Kuruvoli stepping up to the mark, claiming crucial points.<\/p>\n
Coach Raiwalui said it was a great win and thanked the boys for sticking to the job at hand.<\/p>\n
“We focused on Australia this week and the boys executed the game plan very well,” he said.<\/p>\n
“Great to have the win but we are still building and will need to focus on the next one after this.<\/p>\n
“Mostly proud of the boys. It’s not just for today, it’s a combination of work over time.<\/p>\n
Two hard games next<\/strong>
\n“Two very hard games coming up. Let’s enjoy this win, will review tonight. I think a lot of the boys will be sore but super proud.”<\/p>\nCaptain Waisea Nayacalevu thanked the players and fans for their support.<\/p>\n
“Great team effort and the fans were fantastic,” he said. “Proud of the boys for the effort.”<\/p>\n
The win means Fiji and Australia are tied in pool C with six points each.<\/p>\n
Fiji will need to win both their remaining matches against Georgia and Portugal and hope that the Wallabies fall against Wales in their crunch match.<\/p>\n
But that aside, the win over the Australians was celebrated by those who turned up, including Fijians who had flown in from Fiji, New Zealand, Australia and across Europe.<\/p>\n
French fans who turned up to watch the game backed Fiji as they could be heard cheering for Fiji on the grandstand and they booed the Australians every time they were penalised in the match.<\/p>\n
Australian Fijians say it was tough<\/strong>
\nThe Australians had five Fijians in their line-up, with two of them, wingers Mark Waqanitawase and Suliasi Vunivalu, scoring their tries.<\/p>\nSamu Kerevi, Rob Valetini and Marika Koroibete were strong in defence and made some good runs but they were nullified by their fellow Fijians, who hit them with some bone-crunching tackles.<\/p>\n
Vunivalu congratulated Fiji and said they were consistent.<\/p>\n
“They started well and kept that throughout,” he said.<\/p>\n
“We tried to come back, but they were very strong.”<\/p>\n
Koroibete said it was a physical battle.<\/p>\n
“They were on from the start to the end, we tried to keep up with them from the start but they were good,” he said.<\/p>\n
“As a team we did not work upfront enough to counter that physicality.”<\/p>\n
He said they will now have to focus on Wales.<\/p>\n