Semi Radradra voices a concern about Fiji despite second warm-up win

Semi Radradra has issued a warning to Fiji despite their second successive Rugby World Cup warm-up win. The Fijians defeated Samoa 33-19 in Apia on Saturday to add to their 36-20 victory last weekend over Tonga.

However, this weekend’s skipper Radradra wasn’t completely satisfied that his team were now two wins from two just weeks out from their tournament opener versus Wales in Bordeaux on September 10.

What caused the midfielder anxiety was the inability of Fiji for the second successive weekend to build on a promising half-time position. They led the Tongans 26-15 at the break in Lautoka but were restricted to just a 10-5 score in the second half.

Against Samoa, who last week won away to Japan in Sapporo, Fiji led 30-5 at half-time but they were outscored 3-14 in the second half and it was this fall-off that Radradra placed emphasis on when speaking post-game.

In quotes published by the Fiji Sun, Radradra said: “We knew Manu Samoa was tough and we stuck together going into the game. It was tough and we allowed them [Samoa] to come back in the second half.”

Hooker Tevita Ikanivere (two) and centre Iosefo Masi scored tries to have Fiji comfortably 17-0 lead ahead before Samoa struck with a Christian Leali’ifano try. That concession was the cue for Fiji to again dominate the first-half scoreboard, Selestino Ravutaumada grabbing his team’s fourth try and Caleb Muntz adding points off the kicking tee to secure their 25-point interval advantage.

It was needed as Samoa hit back with a couple of second-half tries to cut the eventual Fijian margin of victory to 14 points.