Discipline remains a significant concern for the FIJI Water Flying Fijians, even after their decisive 50-19 victory over Tonga in the Pacific Nations Cup.
Debutant inside centre Adrea Cocagi received a red card during the first half for a shoulder charge on a Tongan player at a ruck while Fiji was leading 19-0. His expulsion allowed Tonga to rally back and equalize at 19-all before halftime.
Coach Mick Byrne addressed the team’s discipline issues after the match, noting, “In the first half, we seemed to panic a little bit. It felt like we were chasing the game instead of controlling it.” He praised the players who regrouped during halftime, stating they “took a breath and got it done in the second half.”
Byrne emphasized that there is room for growth for this young team as they approach the playoffs. “Most of the guys out there today are only in their third year of professional rugby, and they’re learning about themselves and their preparation,” he added.
Fiji managed to score seven tries in the match, and after leading 26-19 at halftime, they secured their win by scoring three unanswered tries in the second half.
Looking ahead, Fiji will face the loser of the Japan-USA matchup in the semi-finals of the tournament in Japan next Saturday.