O'Brien and Baloucoune shine as Ireland beats Fiji 43-15 in Nations Championship
Wingers Tommy O’Brien and Robert Baloucoune have scored two tries each as Ireland has taken a bonus point from a 43-15 win over Fiji in rugby’s Nations Championship in Dublin
DUBLIN -- Wingers Tommy O'Brien and Robert Baloucoune scored two tries each as Ireland took a bonus point from a 43-15 win over Fiji in rugby's Nations Championship on Saturday.
The win lifted Ireland level with England and within a point of France in the Northern Hemisphere series. But as a dress rehearsal for its clash next weekend with world champion South Africa, it was an average display.
Ireland needed Baloucoune's first-half double to lead Fiji 17-15 at halftime as it looked in danger early on of becoming another victim in a weekend of upsets in which France beat the Springboks and Wales defeated New Zealand for the first time in 73 years.
Ireland's ball security was lacking in the first half in the face of Fiji's dynamic defense. It was helped by its strength at scrums, particularly the work of loosehead Andrew Porter who was rewarded with a second-half try.
Ireland decided on seven changes to the team which beat Argentina 42-12 last weekend. It was forced to make another change when center Jamie Osborne left the field with a rib injury in the fourth minute and was replaced by Stuart McCloskey.
Fiji looked vastly improved from the team which lost to France 54-17. The influence of World Cup-winning South Africa coach Jake White in the coaching box is beginning to show but it remains without a win in the Southern Hemisphere series.
Ireland asserted itself through the forward pack in the second half, depriving Fiji of possession and scoring four unanswered tries through hooker Ronan Kelleher, Porter, O'Brien and backrower Nick Timoney.
Ireland had scored first through O'Brien in the eighth minute with Baloucoune joining the backline from the right wing to create the extra man.
Scrumhalf Jamieson Gibson-Park, who produced an outstanding 55 minutes before being replaced, went close in the 15th but lost the ball over the goal line.
Fiji then rocked Ireland with tries in the 19th and 23rd to take a 12-7 lead. Captain Peceli Yato had a hand in the first and scored the second.
Yato burst through a lineout, creating the chance from which center Josua Tuisova scored, and supported a break by winger Jiuta Wainiqolo to score himself. He was then forced from the field in the 26th with an injury sustained in the act of scoring.
Baloucoune scored his first in the 30th after Fiji flyhalf Ben Volavola dropped a high ball. Fullback Mack Hansen straightened the Ireland attack and flyhalf Sam Prendergast looped a pass to Baloucoune in the overlap.
Baloucoune's second came a minute from halftime when Fiji overthrew a lineout. Ireland regathered possession and sent the ball wide for the winger to run in an easy try.
Ireland started the second half with 14 men, with captain Tadhg Beirne in the sin-bin. It still managed to score through Kelleher in the 46th as he attacked on the short-side of a lineout drive with Gibson-Park in support.
Big backrower James McNabney came on for his Ireland debut and made an impression when he joined a breakout by Gibson-Park. But he was knocked out when he went close to scoring and was forced off in the 53rd.
Porter scored from close quarters in the 54th and Prendergast cross-kicked for O'Brien's second try in the 60th. Timoney finished the scoring two minutes from fulltime.
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