Local hero makes a successful return for Fiji
Margie McDonald |
Fiji prop Jacob Saifiti has enjoyed some football redemption at his home ground, scoring a try in the Bati’s 40-12 win over the Cook Islands in their opening World Cup Pool A game.
The 30-year-old Newcastle forward was playing his eighth Test for Fiji, at his second World Cup, but it was his first game back after being banned for four matches for a dangerous tackle in the round-26 NRL game against the Warriors, which wiped out his finals campaign for the Knights.
In the 28th minute, he followed a Brandon Wakeham kick towards the posts and ripped the ball out of Cook Islands fullback Esom Ioka’s grasp to plant the ball under the black dot at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
It was one of five first-half tries by the Bati, who were in a dominant mood and took a 28-0 lead into the sheds.
The Cook Islanders scored two fine tries in the second half, but the Fijians scored more points including a double by centre Solomon Saukuru.
Fiji were expertly led by skipper Api Koroisau with his defence and attacking kicks, and then there was the creativity of halves Kurt Donoghoe and Brandon Wakeham, who had five line-break assists and five try assists between them.
A measure of the Cook Islanders’ frustration was coach Karmichael Hunt pulling halfback Esan Marsters from the field in the 55th minute, replacing him with 14-Test veteran and former captain Brad Takairangi.
Four minutes later and they were on the board after a show-and-go by five-eighth Maui Winitana-Patelesio. Proving that was no fluke, prop Davvy Moale barged over four minutes later, making the scoreline a little more palatable at 34-12.
Things don’ get any easier for the Cook Islands as they now face New Zealand in Christchurch next Sunday, while the Bati are also taking on another World Cup heavyweight in defending champions Australia at Suncorp Stadium a day earlier.
AAP