Wales desperate to end 9-test losing streak against a reinforced Fiji in Cardiff
Wales has lost nine straight tests, dating to the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals a year ago.
Fall again on Sunday against Fiji in Cardiff and Wales will equal its worst losing streak, from 21 years ago.
The fallout so far has been muted.
Warren Gatland offered his resignation to the Welsh Rugby Union CEO in March after his first loss to Italy as Wales coach but it was dismissed. Welsh fans realise their team has been trying to rebound from post-World Cup retirements, departures and the usual injuries, and the team has been mainly competitive.
But Gatland and the team know the tolerance for defeat is at an end.
“There has been a bit of a grace period around results, the experience of the players and getting to grips with international rugby, but that has gone now given the experience we now have in this group and it’s all about results,” captain Dewi Lake says. “We have just got to be clinical.”
For Fiji’s first visit to Cardiff in three years, Gatland has welcomed back valuable experience he didn’t have in July when they lost to the Wallabies 2-0 in Australia. That includes World Cup locks Adam Beard and Will Rowlands, and World Cup halves Tomos Williams and Gareth Anscombe.
Anscombe hasn’t played for Wales since the World Cup, and the lingering effects of a groin injury have cost him a couple of steps and his goalkicking prowess. But his game management remains superb and better than any flyhalf in Wales. He also brings his club combination with Williams, both of them at Gloucester.
The rest of the backline has a combined 27 caps. It is experimental again but promising. Ben Thomas, called the best back in Wales by Gatland last month, and the 1.95-meter Max Llewellyn are the centers, Mason Grady and the uncapped Blair Murray the wings, and Cameron Winnett patrols fullback.
New Zealand-born Murray, qualified by his mother, will play only his seventh match in Wales. A Shane Williams type, Murray will concede 14 centimeters in height and 23 kilograms in weight to opposite Jiuta Wainiqolo, who plays right wing for Fiji and left wing for Toulon.
Fiji reinforcements
After Fiji lost to Scotland 57-17 last weekend without its Europe-based stars, six of them have been rushed into the starting lineup, including Wainiqolo and co-captain and center Waisea Nayacalevu.
None of them have ever beaten Wales. Fiji’s only win was the famous 2007 World Cup victory. Fiji almost pulled off another World Cup stunner last year in Bordeaux but Semi Radradra dropped the pass with the try-line open. Radradra is back on the wing.
“If we can focus and get our game going, we believe we can put pressure on most teams,” Fiji coach Mick Byrne says.
The added pressure on Wales is to end the losing streak on Sunday because, after Fiji, the next visitors are Australia and South Africa.
“Every loss is a bind,” Gatland says. “I’ve often said in the past there’s no in-between (separating) the ecstasy or agony. Hopefully, on Sunday, there is ecstasy rather than agony.”
