Ireland 23 Fiji 20Much like the overall collective performance, many of those auditioning for Joe Schmidt’s Ireland had patchy games, as ultimately the scoreline accurately reflected how Fiji dragged them into an edgy scrap. They also left themselves exposed to counter-rucking by the visitors, who brought a whole heap of physicality to the collisions. But after a Jack Conan turnover try made it 17-3, Ireland were pegged back to all square in large part through their own inaccuracies. There were even chants of ‘Ire-land’ in the endgame, before Luke McGrath kicked the final scrum ball dead to fittingly half-hearted celebrations. SCORING SEQUENCE – 6 mins Sweetnam try 5-0; 21 mins Volavola pen 5-3; 23 mins Kearney try 10-3; 34 mins Conan try, Carbery con 17-3; 40 mins Seniloli try, Volavola con 17-10; (half-time 17-10); 45 T Nagusa try, Volavola con 17-17; 66 Keatley pen 20-17.

Source: The Irish Times November 18, 2017 20:03 UTC