Scotland run riot vs Fiji for first Autumn win

Scotland put on a masterclass to beat the Flying Fijians 57-17 at Murrayfield to kick off the Autumn Nations Series.

Scotland faced their first test in this year’s Autumn Nations Series at Scottish Gas Murrayfield. Fiji visited Edinburgh for Scotland’s first test in the capital since the Calcutta Cup victory for Gregor Townsend’s side in February. After a summer of victories against North and South American opposition, Scotland return home for four autumn fixtures. 

After an impressive performance in the World Cup, beating pool-rivals Australia to reach the quarter-finals, Fiji were looking to prove they can still compete with the world’s best. 

Scotland were without most of their English and French-based players, due to the game being played outside the official test-match window.

It didn’t matter. Scotland dominated from the offset, helped by the fact that Fiji’s Frank Lomani was sent to the sin-bin three minutes in.

The first try came from Kyle Rowe on the right-hand side of the pitch, after a line-out turned maul forced the ball over the line.

Less than a minute before Lomani was due back on the field of play, Apisalome Vota was himself shown a yellow card, leaving the Fijians with just 13 men on the field, albeit for 23 seconds. This brief moment allowed returning player, Darcy Graham to grab the handoff from Ewan Ashman on the right-hand side to increase the lead to 14 points.

Scotland still with the man advantage, scored again 3 minutes later, Darcy Graham again claiming the points, although his try was nearly ruled out as TMO determined whether the ball had come off his boot in the run-up to the score. The replay confirmed it had done, and although the conversion was missed the Scots still held a 19-point lead, only 17 minutes in. 

It’s a shame that this game wasn’t part of a championship as Scotland would have secured a bonus point within the first 20 minutes of the game. The fourth try of the evening came from Huw Jones, intercepting a slow pass from the baffled Fijian defence. 

The South Pacific side wasn’t completely depleted, hitting back with two tries before the end of the first 40.

Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula scoring after a series of passes quickly shifted the ball to the left-hand side. The second, in red time, from a tap-and-run penalty quickly slotted out to Meli Derenalagi. A penalty kick from Adam Hastings for Scotland in between the two Fiji tries left the score at the half 29 to 10. 

Fiji hit back again in the second half, eight minutes in. A very well-taken try, as a quick pass back to line-out taker Tevita Ikanivere allowed the captain to sprint up the far-left side of the pitch. The conversion, Fiji’s last points of the game, made it 29-17.

At this point, Scotland found their footing again and dominated for the rest of the match, scoring four more tries.

Darcy Graham secured his hat trick, and then his double brace. The first came as he broke through the Fiji back-line on the 22.

The second came from the back of the ruck, Graham finding the space left of the posts.

The penultimate try of the game came after a superb, round-the-back pass from Adam Hastings to Huw Jones, and then a further toss out-wide to Duhan Van-Der-Merwe who secured the points. Murrayfield especially enjoying Hastings’ efforts.

Jones secured the final try of the match after a training-ground-style kick from miles away by Adam Hastings dropped in a perfect position for Jones to easily claim the points, away from danger from the Fiji defence. 

A further score from Duhan Van-Der-Merwe was ruled out after TMO revealed that the winger was in touch before the try, but this didn’t matter. Scotland utterly dominated against the Fijian side. The performance will fill Gregor Townsend’s side with confidence ahead of a much harder test against World Cup champions, the Springboks, next weekend.