Sam Walker marked his Test debut with a try, but the Australian Kangaroos are in a genuine battle at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday evening, leading Fiji by just 12 points to 10 at half-time in their Rugby League World Cup clash in Brisbane. The result at the break has stunned many observers, with Fiji having entered the match as $50 outsiders and Australia reportedly favoured by 42 points.
Walker and Tedesco combine in moment of magic
The headline moment of the first half came courtesy of Kangaroos captain James Tedesco, who was electric in his return to the Australian jersey. With the Kangaroos tackled on the fifth right on halfway, Tedesco skipped out of dummy half and found a gap behind the ruck to break through the defensive line. He popped a pass to Walker, who found Tom Trbojevic out wide. Trbojevic was shut down, but Walker accepted the offload and scored under the posts in what was a dazzling piece of improvised football.
Walker, the Sydney Roosters premiership-winning halfback, converted his own try to give him his first points in green and gold. The try ended a period of Fijian dominance and offered the Kangaroos some breathing room, though that cushion quickly began to shrink.
Tedesco, speaking before the match, had been full of confidence in his new halves partner. "He's had a big year," the 33-year-old said of Walker. "He debuted for the Maroons and now the Kangaroos. He's just excited to get out there."
Fiji far from overawed in wet Brisbane conditions
The Bati have been anything but the pushover many predicted. Playing in humid and slippery conditions, with plenty of rain having fallen across Brisbane throughout the week, Fiji found their rhythm from around the 15-minute mark and have not let go since.
The opening points for Australia came when Tedesco, operating at first receiver, put Kotoni Staggs through a hole and the Brisbane Broncos centre crossed for the first try of the match, with Walker converting on debut.
Fiji responded swiftly. A cut-out pass from five-eighth Kurt Donoghoe sent Semi Valemei over out wide to level the match. Then, just as Fiji appeared to be building momentum, a grubber from halfback Brandon Wakeham allowed back-rower Taane Milne to pounce and score, putting the Bati in front. Within 10 minutes, Fiji had scored twice to lead Australia for the first time, stunning the Brisbane crowd.
The Fijian forward pack has driven hard through the middle, with the trio of Api Koroisau, Brandon Wakeham and Kurt Donoghoe providing consistent energy and accuracy in key moments. Australia's defence through the middle and on the edges has appeared disorganised at times, with Fiji repeatedly finding soft spots inside the Australian line.
Wholesale Kangaroos changes under scrutiny
Coach Kevin Walters made sweeping changes to the side that came from behind to defeat the Kiwis in Australia's opening World Cup match. Of the 13 who started that game, only three retained their positions for Sunday's clash: winger Jack Bostock, centre Kotoni Staggs and prop Keaon Koloamatangi.
The changes brought several debutants into the green and gold, most notably Walker at halfback, partnering Tom Dearden in the halves. Tedesco replaced Reece Walsh at fullback and was handed the captaincy. Tedesco's combination of leadership and footwork has been a rare bright spot for Australia in a difficult first half, though Dearden and Walker have struggled to consistently find the right options on last tackle.
A triple substitution at the 28-minute mark, with Pat Carrigan, Tino Fa'asuamaleaui and Jacob Preston coming on to replace Cameron Murray, Koloamatangi and Lindsay Smith, reflected the pressure Australia found themselves under. Reuben Cotter shifted into the middle to accommodate the changes.
One setback for Fiji has been the loss of fullback Bayleigh Bentley-Hape, though Sunia Turuva stepped in capably as a replacement, and Ronald Philitoga brought energy on the right wing.
Right on the half-time siren, Jack Bostock leapt for what appeared to be a try but lost the ball in the air, with referee Gerard Sutton ruling it a knock-on. Australia had no time to mount a captain's challenge, and the teams headed to the sheds with the Kangaroos clinging to a two-point lead.
What the second half holds
Australia will need a significant defensive improvement in the second 40 minutes if they are to avoid a World Cup upset of considerable proportions. Fiji's combination through the middle has been the story of the half, and if the Bati can maintain that consistency, the Kangaroos face a serious challenge. The crowd of around 35,000 at Suncorp Stadium, many of whom arrived expecting a comfortable Australian win, will be watching a very different contest to the one they anticipated.
Walker, for his part, has already etched his name into Test history with a debut try. The question now is whether he and his teammates can find the form needed to hold off a Fijian side that has already proven the pre-match odds meaningless.
