Darcy Graham sees red as Scotland slip to defeat in Fiji
The Edinburgh winger departed with 23 minutes remaining at the HFC Bank Stadium in Suva after a second yellow card offence on a frustrating afternoon for Gregor Townsend's men.
They had gone into the game sitting seventh in the world rankings and targeting a place in the top six which would mean a more favourable draw for the 2027 World Cup in Australia, but they ended it licking their wounds after a bruising reverse.
The Scots led 7-0 after just four minutes when Graham put full-back Kyle Rowe through and he went over with debutant fly-half Fergus Burke converting.
However, ill-discipline was to hamper their efforts to gain revenge for their 27-22 defeat in Suva in 2017.
Hooker Ewan Ashman's eighth-minute yellow card after the ninth-ranked Fijians had pushed the visitors back towards their own line and prompted a series of infringements did his side few favours, but the 14 men survived punishment in his absence and he was back on the pitch by the time Caleb Muntz reduced the deficit with a penalty.
But Graham's departure to the sinbin nine minutes before the break for tackling a player without the ball was punished severely.
First Tevita Ikanivere touched down after Fiji had breached the Scottish defence from a line-out, and then Kalaveti Ravouvou was the beneficiary after his side had spun the ball out from another set-piece, with Muntz converting the latter effort to send them in at the break with a 15-7 lead.
Scotland dragged themselves right back into it within four minutes of the restart when Bristol centre Tom Jordan crossed after an Ashman break and Burke added the two points to ease Townsend's men to within a point of the hosts.
However, Toulon winger Jiuta Wainiqolo's fine 59th-minute try, which was again converted by Muntz, restored Fiji's lead and when they were awarded a penalty try which saw the offside Graham collect a second yellow card and therefore a red, the tourists' day was done.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Irish Sun
15 minutes ago
- The Irish Sun
Jude Bellingham shows off huge scar after shoulder surgery as Real Madrid star recovers ahead of new season
REAL PAIN Jude Bellingham shows off huge scar after shoulder surgery as Real Madrid star recovers ahead of new season JUDE BELLINGHAM showed off a huge scar after undergoing shoulder surgery. The Real Madrid and England midfielder went under the knife at a London hospital three weeks ago. Advertisement 3 Jude Bellingham had a huge scar on his shoulder after surgery Credit: TikTok @seren44.d 3 Bellingham went under the knife three weeks ago in a London hospital Credit: Instagram @judebellingham And in a new photo that has surfaced on social media, Bellingham is now sporting a huge scar down his left shoulder. The 22-year-old shared a snap of himself in a hospital bed with a sling on after the surgery. He thanked doctors in his Instagram post, writing: "Thank you to Andrew Wallace and Susan Alexander, their team and everyone at Fortius Clinic for the surgery and hospitality. "To Ivan Ortega and Dr Leyes for travelling to support. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL SORRY SIGHT Sky Sports forced to apologise as Soccer Saturday make three errors in one game "And finally, to everyone else for all the well wishes and messages of love. "The process to come back has already started, see you soon." Bellingham chose to undergo surgery after soldiering on through pain since 2023. He delayed going into hospital and managed the discomfort by wearing a brace during matches. Advertisement SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN It has been reported that Bellingham will miss around 10-12 weeks of action, meaning he will not return to the pitch until October. Aside from missing the start of the domestic season with Real Madrid, he will also be unavailable for England's World Cup qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia in September. 3 Bellingham will miss the start of the season as he recovers Credit: Getty
The 42
2 hours ago
- The 42
'My wife had the baby in the car on the way to the hospital'
AS THE LIONS begin to break up and go their separate ways after a thoroughly enjoyable tour in Australia, Bundee Aki is moving straight into an exciting new chapter. The Connacht and Ireland centre is heading to New Zealand to meet his newborn daughter for the first time. Aine Aki was born three weeks ago on 19 July, just a few hours before her dad came off the bench for the Lions in their first Test victory over the Wallabies. While many of the Lions players' families were in Australia to enjoy the tour in person, Aki's pregnant wife, Kayla, went back to their native New Zealand in order to have support around her when their fifth child arrived. Kayla was due before the first Test, but it all happened quickly that Saturday. 'I was in the hotel, I knew we were overdue,' said Aki in Sydney last night. 'The missus calls me and she's like, 'Water hasn't broke but I'm going to the hospital, I'm feeling contractions.' I go, 'Yeah, fair enough.' 'She goes to the hospital, we're getting ready for the team meeting pre-match, and then she calls me and says she's on the way to the hospital, so I said, 'Fine, be safe.' 'Five minutes later, she sends a photo, her water broke. I was like, 'Cool, OK, are you almost there?' This is like 30 or 40 minutes away from the hospital, so I said, 'You'll be alright, Mum is there.' '10 minutes later, she video calls me and I was like, 'Shit, what's going on?' 'I saw a baby on the video call, so she had it in the car on the way to the hospital. 'They're both strong and healthy, so happy days.' Advertisement The Aki family at the 2023 World Cup. Dan Sheridan / INPHO Dan Sheridan / INPHO / INPHO With Aine having arrived safely, her father had to switch his mind back onto the game. 'I knew it was good Juju, I knew it was good Juju,' said Aki with a smile. 'So I knew we were going to have a good day.' It has obviously been difficult for Aki not to have the chance to meet little Aine yet but he rightly points out that he has had things easy compared to Kayla. 'No, look, credit to my wife,' said Aki. 'She's a powerful woman, a strong woman. I have to say it to her.' All five of Aki's children have names beginning with the letter A. So Aine follows Armani-Jade, Adrianna, Andronicus, and Ailbhe. There is a happy time for Aki to move into now as he leaves Australia. But he will remember this 2025 Lions tour as one of the most enjoyable of his career. The Ireland international featured in all three Tests for Andy Farrell's side, coming off the bench in the first before starting the second and third. Aki admitted that 'I wasn't great' in last night's third-Test defeat to the Wallabies but he will have only good memories of this time in Australia. 'It's honestly one of those things that you don't want to take for granted,' said Aki. 'Only so many people can say they've been on two tours or have won a series. Honestly, I can't say anything high enough of this bunch of boys, the team, the staff. It's been one of the most enjoyable tours I've ever been on. It's so good. 'We're going to enjoy tonight as a group of players together, and we'll see them again in the new year.' Aki with fellow Connacht men Finlay Bealham and Mack Hansen. James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO There was disappointment last night at not claiming the clean sweep, but Aki believes that a Lions series success is right up there as the biggest achievement of his career. This is a man who has won a Grand Slam, a Six Nations on home soil, and a series in New Zealand with Ireland, but this was special for him. 'The Lions is every four years, coming to Australia, being the first team to go back-to-back to win the series against Australia,' said Aki, 'it's up there.' He backed Andy Farrell to lead the Lions again in New Zealand in 2029, praising his Ireland boss for how he made every player and staff member feel comfortable enough to enjoy themselves in Australia. Given how much Aki loved this tour of Australia and how much he enjoys working under Farrell, he's asked how much the 2027 World Cup on Aussie soil is now in his sights. 35-year-old Aki's current IRFU contract expires in the summer of 2026 and he's non-committal about his plans after that. 'We'll see, we'll see,' said Aki. 'I want to enjoy my break, my family time. I haven't seen my family for eight weeks. 'I have a newborn child who I haven't met yet.'
Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Irish Times
Luke McCowan's late deflected strike secures Celtic win over St Mirren
Luke McCowan's deflected strike earned Celtic a 1-0 victory in their Scottish Premiership opener after St Mirren had frustrated the champions for 87 minutes at Parkhead. The substitute collected Daizen Maeda's square pass on the edge of a crowded penalty box and fired a shot which appeared to spin off Mark O'Hara's leg and nestle into the bottom corner of the net. Celtic had earlier hit the frame of the goal through Benjamin Nygren, Reo Hatate and Republic of Ireland international Adam Idah , while Callum McGregor had a goal disallowed following a VAR intervention. The Hoops were not at their free-flowing best but they ended the first weekend of the season two points ahead of Rangers, just like last season, when they remained above their rivals throughout the campaign. READ MORE Former Celtic captain Paul McStay performed the duties as the home side unfurled the league flag for the 13th time in 14 years and fourth season in succession, and fans sang 'Here we go, 10 in a row' as the game drew to a close. However, manager Brendan Rodgers' assertion that they need new attacking options was backed up by a performance that lacked inspiration in front of goal. Rodgers had warned even before the latest title triumph was wrapped up that a freshness was needed in terms of players. And he delivered a public message on Friday that he would only consider extending his contract beyond next summer if the board met his need for them to show ambition to move the club forward. Rodgers had two summer signings in his starting line-up in left-back Kieran Tierney and midfielder Nygren. His front three was led by Idah, with Yang Hyun-jun on the right wing and the left wing occupied by Maeda, who was so effective in a central role following the January exit of Kyogo Furuhashi. Adam Idah in action for Celtic. Photograph: Andrew Milligan/PA Yang struggled to make any sort of impact before being replaced by James Forrest just before the hour mark and it was Celtic's midfielders that offered the biggest goal threat. Celtic's early creativity came from Tierney on his return to competitive action with his boyhood club six years on from leaving for Arsenal. The Scotland international twice delivered crosses for Idah, who failed to trouble goalkeeper Shamal George, and saw a strike diverted over by Alex Gogic. Maeda rounded the keeper after McGregor's quickly-taken free-kick but could not overcome the tight angle and O'Hara threatened at the other end with a curling strike that was beaten away by Kasper Schmeichel. Celtic came closest to a first-half breakthrough in the closing seconds when George pushed Nygren's shot on to the bar and saved the Sweden midfielder's headed rebound. The St Mirren keeper did well to stop McGregor's low drive just after the break and was relieved to see the ball bounce wide off his body after Hatate's speculative effort had deflected off Marcus Fraser's boot and the bar. McGregor charged down O'Hara's clearance and fired home midway through the half but the VAR team disallowed the strike for handball, after the ball appeared to hit the Celtic captain's upper arm, without referee Don Robertson being called to the monitor. Idah then volleyed a shot off the post from eight yards after chesting down a Liam Scales cross. St Mirren were occasionally posing a threat on the break. Mikael Mandron forced a save and Oisin Smyth fired straight at fellow sub Austin Trusty from a good chance. The key moment then came at the other end as McCowan kick-started Celtic's title defence.
