Indiscipline costs Scotland in defeat by Fiji and it may dent their World Cup hopes

Fiji punished Scotland’s indiscipline to land a thrilling win in Suva that was illuminated by another blockbuster performance from Jiuta Wainiqolo.

The visitors were hampered by three yellow cards, with Darcy Graham seeing red for his second in the 66th minute following an offence that handed a penalty try to Fiji.

The defeat by Fiji, who were ninth in the world before this weekend, will cost Scotland rankings points as international sides strive for as high a position as possible before the draw for the 2027 World Cup is made in December.

As well as that of Wainiqolo, the Toulon wing who glided over to score in the second half, there were impressive outings from the half-back pairing of Simione Kuruvoli and Caleb Muntz as well as bristling centre Josua Tuisova.

Temo Mayanavanua, Lekima Tagitagivalu and Elia Canakaivata underpinned a dogged display from the Fiji pack, too. Tevita Ikanivere, their skipper, benefited from a driving maul in the first half and Kalaveti Ravouvou of Bristol Bears dotted down out wide to make it 15-7 to the hosts at the break.

Scotland had begun brightly in a bid to follow up their excellent triumph over the Maori All Blacks with a clever strike play that allowed Graham to release Kyle Rowe in the opening minutes.

Gregor Townsend’s team, shorn of their British and Irish Lions contingent and featuring Fergus Burke on Test debut at fly-half, would then lose impetus. Ben O’Keeffe sin-binned Ewan Ashman after the Scotland hooker slowed the ball down on his own try-line and the experienced Jamie Ritchie was forced to withdraw.

Just beyond the half-hour mark, Graham received his first yellow card. His cover tackle on Sireli Maqala, on the back of an offload from Salesi Rayasi, came a shade too early. While Scotland were reduced to 14, tries from Ikanivere and Ravouvou allowed Fiji to pull ahead.

Ashman’s break brought about a response early in the second period as Tom Jordan latched on to Burke’s slick take-and-give, but Fiji would not be denied.

Wainiqolo slipped through three defenders to widen the gap with a wonderful solo run at the end of the third quarter and almost set up an 80-metre try directly from the ensuing restart. Only desperate scramble defence stopped a rampaging Tuisova.

Having largely addressed the line-out issues that dogged their last-gasp loss to Australia a week previously, Fiji were able to maintain pressure and Graham pressed up to intercept Kuruvoli from an offside position.

Because both Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula and Vilimoni Botitu were waiting unmarked, O’Keeffe deemed the infringement to be worth a penalty try as well as a yellow card.

Rory Darge, the Scotland captain, produced a defiant showing in defeat but was left disappointed by avoidable errors that will need to be fixed ahead of a meeting with Samoa next Friday at Eden Park in Auckland.

His opposite number, Ikanivere, was understandably delighted after Fiji repeated their 2017 win over the same opponents in the same city. “I’m very happy, very thankful and very grateful,” he said.

“I think we deserved that win. We’ve worked very hard over these past two weeks and it was great to see the crowd getting the Mexican wave in. The last president said that there are only a few things that bring Fijians together and rugby is one of them.

“Thank you to the brothers from Scotland. They’re a great team, the only Six Nations team to come to Fiji over the past few years. We hope they enjoy Fiji and have a safe trip back.”