Wales Seeks Victory Against Fiji Following Nine Consecutive Test Defeats

The captains of the opposing teams, Dewi Lake for Wales and Waisea Nayacalevu for Fiji, both participated in the 2023 World Cup. This Autumn Nations Series fixture between Wales and Fiji is scheduled for Sunday, 10 November, with a kick-off time of 13:40 GMT at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff. Coverage will be available via live commentary on BBC Radio Wales, BBC Radio Cymru, and BBC Sounds, as well as live text commentary on the BBC Sport website and app. After not playing during the initial weekend, Wales will commence their autumn schedule this Sunday with a match against Fiji in Cardiff. This encounter marks the first time these two teams have faced each other since their thrilling World Cup match in Bordeaux nearly 14 months ago, an event that remains vivid in memory. In that September fixture, Wales secured a 32-26 victory, but only after withstanding a fierce comeback from Fiji, who scored two tries late in the game. The match concluded with Semi Radradra dropping a pass just short of the try line. That outcome brought elation, not despair, for Wales, and head coach Warren Gatland has expressed his desire for a similar result this weekend. Significant changes have occurred for both teams as they prepare to renew their rivalry this weekend. Assistant coach Jonathan Humphreys stated that Wales would accept an “ugly win” against Fiji. For Wales, securing a victory is paramount, with forwards coach Jonathan Humphreys acknowledging that even a less-than-perfect win would be acceptable. This is due to the fact that Sunday will mark 400 days since coach Gatland’s team last achieved a Test victory, having not secured any international wins in 2024 to date. Their most recent success was against Georgia in Nantes during the World Cup pool stage in October 2023. Subsequently, the team has experienced nine international defeats, with eight of these occurring within the current calendar year. This ongoing losing streak commenced with their World Cup quarter-final elimination by Argentina, and also encompasses a Six Nations wooden spoon after five defeats, along with summer losses to South Africa and Australia. Should they suffer another defeat, Wales would match their lowest record of 10 consecutive Test losses, a streak established in 2002 and 2003 under head coach Steve Hansen. Consequently, the stakes are high for the host nation on Sunday. Wales has dropped to 11th position in the world rankings, placing them one spot beneath Fiji, who are eager to prove their capability of defeating a Tier one nation in an away match. Last weekend, Fiji played without their Europe-based players in their 57-17 loss to Scotland, as that game occurred outside World Rugby’s designated autumn Test window. Australian Mick Byrne has assumed the role of Fiji’s head coach, having previously led the Fijian Drua team in Super Rugby since 2022. Taine Plumtree expressed excitement for his housemate Blair Murray’s upcoming Wales debut against Fiji. Blair Murray, an uncapped wing, is set to make his debut for Wales. The New Zealand-born back enters the Test match environment having played only six games for the Scarlets since joining at the beginning of the 2024-25 season. The 23-year-old, whose mother originates from Tonyrefail in the Rhondda, south Wales, has demonstrated sufficient performance to secure a starting position. Ben Thomas will play at inside centre, having previously made two fly-half appearances during Wales’ summer tour of Australia. Gareth Anscombe will wear Wales’ number 10 jersey again, his first time since last year’s World Cup. The 33-year-old Anscombe will be joined in the backline by his Gloucester team-mates Max Llewellyn and Tomos Williams. Llewellyn has been selected as Thomas’ midfield partner, while Williams returns to scrum-half. Mason Grady will transition from centre to wing. Locks Will Rowlands and Adam Beard will reunite in the second row. Leicester flanker Tommy Reffell will start over Jac Morgan, who is recovering from a minor injury and is named among the six forwards on the bench. Bath prop Archie Griffin, who has only played twice for his club this season due to a minor temporary heart condition from which he has now recovered, will be in the front row with Gareth Thomas and captain Dewi Lake. Fiji has seen the return of several key players from English and French clubs, with coach Byrne naming Radradra, Josua Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo, and co-captain Waisea Nayacalevu in a formidable Fijian backline. Such is Fiji’s offensive strength that Bayonne centre Sireli Maqala, the leading try scorer in France’s Top 14 league, is only listed among the replacements. The pack features two alterations, with Saracens prop Eroni Mawi and Northampton lock Temo Mayanavanua included in the starting lineup. Wales starting XV: Winnett; Grady, Llewellyn, B Thomas, Murray; Anscombe, T Williams; G Thomas, Lake (capt), Griffin, Rowlands, Beard, Plumtree, Reffell, Wainwright. Replacements: Elias, N Smith, Assiratti, Tshiunza, Botham, J Morgan, Bevan, Costelow. Fiji’s lineup: Karawalevu; Wainiqolo, Nayacalevu (capt), Tuisova, Radradra; Muntz, Lomani; Mawi, Ikanivere, Tawake, Nasilasila, Mayanavanua, Derenalagi, Salawa, Canakaivata. Replacements: Matavesi, Hetet, Koroiduadua, Vocevoce, Tuisue, Kuruvoli, Ravula, Maqala. The match officials are: Referee Luc Ramos (France), Assistant Referees Pierre Brousset (France) and Hollie Davidson (Scotland), and Television Match Official (TMO) Eric Gauzins. Warren Gatland expressed his hope that Wales would achieve a joyful outcome rather than a painful one against Fiji on Sunday. Wales head coach Warren Gatland stated: “We’re all aware of where we are. We’ve spoken internally about how important these first two games are.” He added, “The way the players have trained and applied themselves has been excellent.” Gatland continued, “The players are aware of how important the next few weeks are and building some confidence on what we’ve done as a group, with that experience coming back in. I’ve been pleased with how everyone has fitted in.” He concluded, “Hopefully, on Sunday, there’s ecstasy rather than agony.” Fiji head coach Mick Byrne commented: “I’m sure Wales will be desperate to get a win, but so are we.” He elaborated, “We want to get our job right and push enough pressure and execute our game plan in the way I know we can.” Byrne further stated, “We want to be the ones pushing the pressure on the field and see if the opposition can answer the questions we’re going to ask.” He concluded, “We know Wales are going to ask a lot of questions of us, they’re going to come hard at us and we need to be ready for that and compete.” Dewi Lake expressed anticipation for an “incredible” moment as he prepares to captain Wales in Cardiff for the first time. In their 14 previous men’s Test matches against Fiji, Wales has recorded 12 victories and only one loss. They have also won the last six encounters between the two teams, including a six-point win in their most recent match at the 2023 World Cup. Fiji’s sole triumph over Wales occurred during the 2007 World Cup in Nantes. They have never secured a victory against Wales in Cardiff, though a draw did take place in 2010. Fiji has emerged victorious in four of their last five Test matches, with all four wins achieved by margins exceeding 15 points during this year’s Pacific Nations Cup. Their 40-point loss to Scotland in the opening round of this year’s Autumn Nations Series last weekend represented their most significant away defeat against a European nation since 2016. The roof of the Principality Stadium will be closed for this match, as well as for Wales’ other November fixtures against Australia and South Africa.