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Fiji batter Irish to earn spot in World Cup semis

Fiji’s Wes Naiqama scores the opening try during the Rugby League World Cup match yesterday between Ireland and Fiji at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast, Australia. PHOTO: EPA

Fiji wore down Ireland 30-14 to clinch a coveted semi-final place against Australia at the rugby league World Cup yesterday.

The “Bati” sent their Pacific island nation into raptures when they battered the Irish Wolfhounds for a five tries to three victory to secure a prestige semi-final showdown with the tournament hot shots in Sydney on Sunday.

The Fijians subjected the Irish to enormous pressure in the second half after shading the Wolfhounds 12-10 at half-time and finished the better with three tries to see off the brave Irish challenge.

Exciting 21-year-old Newcastle Knights winger Akuila Uate scored two tries to take his tournament tally to five.

Fiji’s other tryscorers were Jarryd Hayne, Jason Bukuya and skipper Wes Naiqama.

Newcastle Knights’ center Naiqama added five goals for a match haul of 14 points.

Fiji’s reward is a tilt at the Kangaroos, who have blazed an unbeaten path through the tournament.

The Fijians have never come close to the Australians in two previous World Cup encounters but this week’s buildup to their third encounter will be savoured by the island nation’s 900,000 population.

Such has been the high excitement over Fiji’s progress at the World Cup that the local Pay TV station has run out of satellite dishes.

The Irish simply ran out of gas against the Fijians, spending almost 25 minutes of the match camped inside their own quarter and at one stage defending their try-line for 16 consecutive tackles.

They paid a price with Scott Grix and Liam Finn suffering ugly facial gashes and needing their heads swathed in bandages to complete the game.

The supreme effort eventually told and Fiji scored 12 of their points in the last 17 minutes.

But Ireland had their moments with Damien Blanch scoring two tries.

Grix went over for Ireland minutes before half-time, but winger Pat Richards’ conversion attempt hit an upright and bounced away costing Ireland the chance to go in level at the interval.
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