Wales 32-26 Fiji: Warren Gatland’s side manage to hold on to win thrilling encounter as they get their World Cup campaign off to impressive start

In 2016, the Wales football team began their impressive journey to the semi-finals of that year’s European Championship at the Stade de Bordeaux, with Gareth Bale’s goal scorer.

A 2-1 victory over Slovakia laid the foundation for one of the country’s most unlikely sporting successes.

Seven years later, the Wales rugby team and their supporters will leave here with similarly fond memories. But only.

This victory over an entertaining Fiji team would have caused palpitations for anyone with even a passing interest in Welsh rugby. For Warren Gatland it must have been pure relief.

What a game this was. It had promised a lot. And it delivered. Wales’ World Cup campaign is off to a winning start and that is absolutely huge for their confidence and momentum.

Gatland’s side deserve a lot of credit for handling this against the great Fijians.

They also received five points.

Wales somehow took the lead 18-14 after a brutal first 40, but their lack of raw power and inability to slow down Fiji’s ball was a serious concern.

For a long time, Wales’ traveling fans and home crowds would have feared a repeat of the infamous 2007 World Cup defeat to Fiji – a defeat that also took place in France.

Gatland said his team would do ‘something special’ at this World Cup and the William Webb Ellis Cup was shown to both sides before kick-off as a means of motivation.

Gatland and Co had the Prince of Wales in their corner here, just a day after his wife Kate Middleton backed England to victory over Argentina in Marseille.

But this success was all their own work. Boy, it took some effort.

Unlike four years ago – when their then attack coach Rob Howley was sent home from the World Cup in Japan on the eve of the first match – Wales went into this tournament on the back of a seamless build-up. After months of off-field misery and contractual and financial uncertainty, Gatland’s men had hoped they had navigated the choppy waters.

Then Fiji loomed ominously on the horizon.

Fresh from victory over England at Twickenham last month, the Pacific Islanders arrived in sizzling Bordeaux full of confidence but without their first-choice fly-half Caleb Muntz.

A knee injury ruled Fiji’s talented young playmaker out of the tournament. Teti Tela – who is not in Muntz’s class – started instead. It meant an advantage for Wales before a ball was touched.

Tela’s first kick-off attempt was slightly delayed by a television meddler, much to the frustration of a sea of ​​red in the stadium. Wales’ start was impressive.

Adam Beard kicked off in damp conditions. Will Rowlands won a bad luck penalty. Dan Biggar scored the kick.

Wales withstood early pressure from Fiji. George North made a clear break in the line. From field position the ball went to the left and Liam Williams’ excellent pass sent Josh Adams to the line.

Williams punched the air. Biggar could not repent.

Tela’s attempt to put Fiji on the board after Wales overplayed in their own half was terrible, but it was saved by his barnstorming captain Waisea Nayacalevu.

The Fiji center made his way to the line. Fiji soon got a second.

“Fiji, Fiji,” rang out after the Pacific Islanders scored straight from the first phase, including Semi Radradra running amok amid poor Wales defending. Lekima

the finishing touches applied. Frank Lomani added both kicks after clearly seeing enough from Tela.

Wales needed to score next and they did, with Biggar scoring a kick. The fly-half then opted for the corner twice instead of three points and got his reward when North scored under the posts.

It was harum-scarum stuff and probably too open-ended for Welsh tastes. Fiji tacklers regularly melted red shirts. Eroni Mawi had what would have been a third Fiji try ruled out as he dived for the line. Gareth Davies was then tackled high and forced off due to a head injury, as Wales escaped without conceding further.

Biggar’s extraordinary criticism of North and Nick Tompkins for not kicking the ball out with the clock stopped summed up the sharp nature of Wales’s frame of mind.

Davies was back in action for the start of the second half. Wales simply had to find a way to slow Fiji’s dominant carries and ball speed at the breakdown.

Biggar was unable to increase the lead and missed a penalty. Then came a crucial moment. Tompkins – who played perhaps his best game for Wales – stood up to be counted.

Adams danced along the wing. And then rookie captain Jac Morgan picked up out of nowhere and delivered a cross kick to Louis Rees-Zammit. The result was predictable. Biggar scored the kick.

Adams continued his brilliant attacking work with a monstrous defensive hit and a jackal. Biggar had a hard time, but he fought on bravely.

Wales introduced breakdown specialist Tommy Reffell for Taulupe Faletau just before the hour mark with Aaron Wainwright switching to number 8. Fiji’s jackal threat Levani Botia also appeared.

Both sides have emptied their banks. It had to be done. The ferocity and pace of the game was simply terrifying. For those of neutral persuasion, it was a pleasure to watch.

Wales conceded a series of penalties on their own line. They escaped with a warning from Matthew Carley when a yellow card looked inevitable and somehow resulted in a goal-line clearance.

It was Botia who came close to scoring.

Reffell had suffered a knock in training prior to this match, but his impact off the bench was phenomenal. Carley then decided to irritate the Fiji fans even more.

After not showing Wales a card, he promptly handed one to Tagitagivalu and Elliot Dee was immediately wheeled over for Gatland’s bonus point try. Carley’s decision to sin bin Tagitagivalu was extremely harsh.

Biggar converted and then limped off to be replaced by Sam Costelow before Wales pro Corey Domachowski’s yellow evened the numbers.

Josua Tuisova took third for Fiji as Wales came under heavy pressure late on. The tension was unbearable.

The Wales scrum folded and they should have received more yellow cards.

Peni Ravai ensured Fiji left with a bonus point from four tries. But Wales just held on while North found themselves in an emergency flanking role and had Radradra not spilled the ball with a gaping line at the death, Fiji would have won.