Based on these two teams' performances at this tournament up until now, you could expect Wales to win this match pretty comfortably. They outrank Fiji in the IRB ratings 7th v 15th. Wales very nearly upset the big guns South Africa in Game 8 - the same Springbok outfit who absolutely whipped Fiji a week later 49-3.
Fiji have been the most lacklustre of all of the Pacific teams. Where Tonga and Samoa have improved all tournament long, Fiji have grown poorer. They look to me like a team ready to leave the tournament, not a team making the most of their time here.
The game is nearly the most one sided effort of the whole tournament. Fiji are not regarded as a minnow, but they look like they are aspiring to be demoted. With so much footy to watch this weekend (yes the Warriors are about to kick off) I suggest my devoted readers catch the details of this drubbing through normal media. Suffice to say the 66-0 defeat is Fiji's worst ever result. And they were lucky to get nil.
As for Wales, any team that scores 9 tries and concedes a donut, against a team full of huge fast men is worthy of respect. That great effort against South Africa was by no means a one-off. Wales and Ireland are the only two Northern Hemisphere teams playing aspirational footy at this RWC. It seems to me an absolute tragedy that they are destined to meet in a Quarter Final next week. If only one of them could take on England.
Final score: Wales 66 - Fiji 0
39 games 239 tries.
Tweet of the match - "Wales looking the complete package. Just need that big win against one of the top 4 nations to get the mental edge." @MrSmithMachine
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