Five things you need to know after Australia narrowly avoid disaster against Fiji

Telegraph

2 days ago

Australia scraped past Fiji 21-18 in a performance that suggests the British and Irish Lions have little to fear heading into their Test series.
It took a try by Harry Wilson in the 78th minute that was converted by Ben Donaldson to rescue the Wallabies from an embarrassing defeat in their only match before taking on Andy Farrell's tourists.
Australia escape with a win but at a cost
So complete disaster was averted thanks to the efforts of Harry Wilson and the officials who did their utmost to favour the Wallabies with their interventions. But this was still a wretched performance for Australia made exponentially worse by losing Noah Lolesio to a serious-looking injury.
Lolesio was put in a neck brace before being carried off on a stretcher in the 60th minute following another crunching Fijian collision, which was later reported to be whiplash rather than a concussion.
Nevertheless this leaves the Wallabies' fly-half stocks looking perilously thin entering the three-Test series against the Lions on July 19. Ben Donaldson replaced Lolesio at the McDonald Jones Stadium while Tom Lynagh, son of Wallabies great Michael, and veteran James O'Connor, who played in the 2013 series, represent alternative options for Wallabies head coach Joe Schmidt, who will have much to chew over after a wretched performance against their World Cup conquerors.
Having built a 14-0 lead late in the first half, Fiji, who came into this match off the back of two training sessions, snatched a try just before half-time through Salesi Rayasi. They went on to dominate the second half with Lekima Tagitagivalu crossing after a sensational Jiuta Wainiqolo run and two penalties from Caleb Muntz giving them a fully deserved 18-14 lead. They could – and should – have been further ahead before captain Wilson saved their bacon with just a minute remaining to secure a 21-18 victory.
Television Match Official could ruin this series
The TMO has had a pernicious influence on the Lions tour so far – their intervention in the Waratahs game led to some loud booing at the Allianz Stadium – but in Newcastle it reached new levels of petty meddling. With Fiji leading 15-14, Harry Potter threw a hospital pass to Nick Frost who was duly turned over and the Pacific Islanders immediately worked the ball to Sireli Maqala in the corner. The TMO, Eric Gauzins, initially looked for obstruction but then went back further and spotted Potter's boot had brushed the touchline. Meanwhile, Gauzins took an absolute age to confirm that Tom Wright had thrown a ball forward that looked like an American football pass in the stands.
'The Brumbies had a try taken off them this year and I think they went back 19 phases,' Fiji head coach Mick Byrne said. 'I understand that you can back as many phases as you can in your possession. I didn't know that you can go back to opposition possession as well. So maybe next year, we will be able to go back 10 minutes. Maybe I am wrong. I'll get clarity on it because I thought you could only go back on your frustration.'
In Super Rugby Pacific, the TMO only has a limited mandate to interfere, unless it is serious foul play or the act of grounding the ball. The Australian public are none-too impressed by the busy body nature of the TMOs in the Lions tour. Come the series, that impatience could reach boiling point.
Joseph Sua'ali'i – the world's most expensive decoy
This was the home debut for Australia's most high-profile player. After setting the world alight in the autumn internationals, the rugby-league convert was a lot quieter here, although he demonstrated his fabulous catch-pass skills: first in setting up Dave Porecki's seventh-minute try and then for Max Jorgensen's disallowed try.
However, as a whole, he played a peripheral role in the influence of the match, only passing six times, which was as many as loose forwards Nick Frost, Langi Gleeson and Fraser McReight. He was often used as a decoy runner with centre partner Len Ikitau pulling passes behind his run to wings Max Jorgensen and Harry Potter. The Wallabies may well be keeping their powder dry with Sua'ali'i but it was still surprising that he did not stamp his mark in his first Test on Australian soil.
Fraser McReight will be a problem
McReight did a big old number on both England and Ireland at the breakdown in the autumn and he was a menace here, coming up with two big turnovers and winning a further two penalties. From my vantage point – both behind the goal in the first half and then high up in the main stand in the second – he did not always seem to be supporting his bodyweight and it will be interesting to see if there is a different interpretation between Ben O'Keeffe in the first Test and the two Europeans in the second and third.
For all McReight's efforts, Fiji ended up dominating the contact area in the second half with their muscular backs operating like auxiliary flankers.
Wallabies set-piece looks solid
Head coach Joe Schmidt was satisfied with how the line-out functioned and felt the scrum was not sufficiently rewarded for its dominance. Again it was not helped by the officiating and number of resets,k but with Allan Alaalatoa, they have a wily loosehead, while Angus Bell offers an explosive tighthead. Add in the heft of Will Skelton in the second row and what has traditionally been an area of vulnerability for Australia in Lions series can become a weapon.