Rugby

Fiji defeats Japan at U20 Oceania Rugby Championship

May 5, 2019 5:38 am

The Fiji under-20 rugby side ended its Oceania rugby campaign on a high note with a 59-37 win against Japan last night.

An upset seemed on the cards when Japan took a 30-28 lead through a penalty conversion early in the second half on the back of continued scrum dominance.

But when Fiji kept the ball in hand and spread it wide despite the conditions, they ran away with the match.

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Japan scored a try with five minutes remaining to give themselves a late sniff but Fiji shut them out to record their first win of the tournament.

Vodafone Fijian Under 20s Captain Tevita Ikanivere says that the team had a slow start to their game, but as the game progressed, they began to find their form and rhythm in the second half.

“It’s really good to have a win under our belt and also compete against New Zealand and Australia who we might meet in the World Rugby U20 Championship. For us now it’s about going back and continue to work hard as we prepare for the Championship in June.”

Meanwhile,  Australia won their first ever Oceania Under 20s Championship last night after beating New Zealand 24-0.