Ireland held off a spirited Fiji fightback to win 24-19 at the Junior World Championship, setting up a ninth-place final against Italy in Kutaisi on Saturday.
According to World Rugby’s official matchday report, Andrew Browne’s side led just 14-12 at half-time in a game that stayed tight to the final whistle at AIA Arena. Winger Daniel Ryan chipped ahead down the left and regathered for his second try of the tournament to put Ireland in front in the 12th minute, before scrum-half Isikeli Bari Ratu hit straight back for Fiji. Diarmaid O’Connell restored Ireland’s lead from the base of a scrum, but Fiji’s Sailosi Vodonaivalu Taka dived over five minutes before the break to keep the sides level at the interval.
Italy Join Ireland In Ninth-Place Final After Georgia Rout
Ireland moved through the gears after half-time, James O’Leary’s try edging them clear, but Fiji’s Apete Gauna Rokosuka kept the scoreboard pressure on and the tourists had a chance to snatch victory at the death after Ireland’s Harry Waters was yellow-carded. A five-metre Fiji lineout throw went askew, though, and Ireland held on. Italy booked the other ninth-place final spot with a ruthless 43-19 win over hosts Georgia in Kutaisi, running in six tries inside the opening 40 minutes. Fiji, meanwhile, drop into Saturday’s 11th-place play-off against Georgia. Ireland and Italy’s final falls on the same day as the tournament’s showpiece finale between France and South Africa across town at Mikheil Meskhi Stadium, and a day after Wales and Scotland contest the fifth-place final in Tbilisi.
