Barbarians: November 2019 Tour

[Machpants]

@Stargazer Why the fook are they playing a loose forward in the centres?

[Stargazer]

@Machpants Don't you mean prop?

[Stargazer]

Fiji

1 Samuela Tawake (Manuwatu – Debut)
2 Ratu Veremalua Vugakoto (Fijian Drua – 9 caps)
3 Eroni Mawi (Fijian Drua – 12 caps)
4 Temo Mayanavanua (Northland – debut)
5 Sikeli Nabou (Counties Manukau – 6 caps)
6 Mosese Voka (Fijian Drua – 9 caps)
7 John Dyer (Fijian Drua – 1 cap)
8 Eremasi Radrodro (Fijian Drua – 4 caps)
9 Frank Lomani (Melbourne Rebels – 14 caps)
10 Teti Tela (Queensland Reds – debut)
11 Patrick Osborne (Canterbury – 9 caps)
12 Serupepeli Vularika (Fijian Drua – 10 caps)
13 Asaeli Tikoirotuma (North Harbour – 23 caps)
14 Jiuta Wainiqolo (Fijian Drua – debut)
15 Enele Malele (Fijian Drua – debut)

Reserves
16 Tevita Ikanivere (Fijian Drua – debut)
17 Joeli Veitayaki (Fijian Drua – 6 caps)
18 Mosese Ducivaki (Fijian Drua – 3 caps)
19 Tevita Naqali (Fijian Drua – debut)
20 Mesulame Kunavula (Edinburgh – debut)
21 Peni Matawalu (Fijian Drua – debut)
22 Caleb Muntz (Fijian Drua – debut)
23 Cyril Reece (Fijian Drua – debut)

.
I was wondering what team Fiji could field, with all their regular test players back with their European clubs and unlikely to be released. So it's mostly Fijian Drua players from the NRC and some Mitre 10 Cup and SR players. Only one player from Europe.

[Bones]

@Stargazer reckon they could have got in touch with Nakarawa...

[Machpants]

@Bones said in Barbarians: November 2019 Tour:

@Stargazer reckon they could have got in touch with Nakarawa...

Beat me too it!

It's live on Sky Sport 1, which is good (recording it, obvs!)

[Stargazer]

For anyone who can't watch the game.

It's 14 - 12 to Fiji after 34 minutes. Two tries each, with one early Fijian "try" disallowed.

[Stargazer]

That's the half time score. As expected, not the best of games. Fiji looks the slightly better side; Baabaas look like a team who've only been together for less than a week (as they are).

[Stargazer]

Powell is such a bad halfback. Terrible kick, beautifully caught by Lomani, leads directly to a Fijian try. Why is Powell even there? There are way better halfbacks they could have picked.

[Stargazer]

Rory Best leaves the field. That was the last international game of his career.

[Stargazer]

Tendai Mtawarira has also left the field. Also the end to his international career.

Just before, a second Baabaas try was disallowed.

By the way, according to the commentators, the Fijian no. 23 is a brother of Sevu Reece.

[Stargazer]

It's 28 - 17 to Fiji after 67 minutes.

[Stargazer]

Fiji's John Dyer is named the MotM.

[Stargazer]

Full time: Barbarians 31 - 33 Fiji (5 tries each)

[Steven Harris]

@Stargazer will check out the replay later this morning..how did Havilli play..?

[Bones]

Just watching the pre match. Martin Johnson thinks some Fijians might play for New Zealand.

Gobsmacked. Speechless.

[Bones]

Haaaa at least the cipi tau doesn't go on forever like the haka. Thanks Brian Moore.

[Bones]

Pete Samu looks way meaner with a mullet.

[Stargazer]

@Steven-Harris Havili missed a few tackles and on at least three ocassions, he was the man tackling the try scorer on the tryline without being able to stop them from scoring. Not much he could do about that, those players should have been tackled earlier by his team mates, but he'll be unhappy about that. Both the Baabaas and Fiji missed way too many tackles.

Havili was outstanding on attack. Three try assists and also directly involved in a fourth. Most defenders beaten of all players on the field. As visible on attack as he was (attacks often started with him or Andre Esterhuizen), as invisible was the no. 10 Curwin Bosch.

Makalio was good when he came on in the second half; added some much needed energy at that stage. They said it was Rory Best's last game, so I assume Best won't play the other matches and Makalio may start the other games.

Pete Samu was one of the best forwards, with Stockdale and Mtawarira also playing well, but John Dyer (Fiji) was the best forward overall and deserved that MotM.

My main impression from the game was that the Baabaas team was quite average; just as you could expect with that line-up. Fiji played as well as they could, consisting of mainly third stringers; probably better than expected.

Here are the stats of the game: https://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/match.cfm?season=2020&competition=1&match=8949

[Bones]

@Stargazer their captain was one of the most boring players in world rugby! Not baabaas rugby.

[Stargazer]

@Bones I didn't see any of the helter skelter exciting stuff that we're used to from the Baabaas. I expected more from Eddie Jones.