Ireland entertained Fiji at the RDS on Saturday, hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to the season. Follow all the action with our live matchtracker. Kick-off 5.15pm.
By Tadhg Peavoy
7.13pm Okay peeps, that's it for this week. Good performance against a totally undercooked Fiji side.
The main talk of the week will be who will start at outhalf against South Africa at Croke Park next weekend. We will bring you that news as soon as we get it.
So, until the 'Boks come to town, see y'after.
7.07pm A very solid performance from Ireland. Man of the Match Jonathan Sexton was nothing short of perfection. This fella is the future; no doubt. For the record, he had a 100% record from the boot today.
Tom Court was excellent at scrum-time and also active in the loose. Leo Cullen's game was quiet, but nearly flawless. It would have been good to see more from him with ball in hand. He deserves a chance against South Africa too.
Two tries from Earls was enough to confirm a starting Test berth for him for next week. Horgan and D'Arcy played well, but probably not well enough to move above Tommy Bowe and Paddy Wallace in the pecking order.
A main result of today - although Fiji were not great opposition - was the strength Ireland have in depth. Cronin, Buckley and O'Brien were all excellent impact subs.
As for Leamy, let's hope his injury is not too serious. We will have any news on that as and when it comes through.
7.06pm The RTÉ panel are in awe of Jonathan Sexton. Popey and Hook think Sexton should play next week against the world champions. Conor O'Shea think O'Gara should be kept in.
80+1 mins Fiji lose it in a ruck on the ten-metre line. Andrew Trimble - who is on for Kearney - gets the ball in the 22. He darts inside Goneva, but his pass is to nobody and knocked on. The whistle blows for FULL-TIME.
80 mins Scrum Fiji on their own line. Rauluni puts in. Ireland engage early and Fiji try to run it out.
78 mins From the restart Heaslip gathers and charges forwards. Through the hands in the backline Ireland make the Fiji 22. Horgan looks sure to go over from a Tom Court pass, but he knocks on due to a Nakarawa tackle.
76 mins TRY: Scrum for Ireland due to Fiji offside play again. Solid scrum . Heaslip picks and pases to D'Arcy on the blindside. D'Arcy draws the left-winger Roko and Horgan goes over in the corner. Easy now for Ireland. 39-6. CONVERSION: Amazing kick again from Sexton, right on the touchline and it's perfect. 41-6
76 mins Buckley makes a charge as the ball is setup in the Fiji 22. Sexton gets the pass from Buckley and almost makes it over.
76 mins Sexton gets Man of the Match.
75 mins Cronin's first line-out ball hits O'Connell - good throw. Fiji offside in midfield and Sexton kicks to touch from the free-kick.
74 mins Sexton kicks to the Fiji 22 - easing the pressure.
73 mins Sean Cronin is on for Flannery. Fiji drive at the line from the free-kick. Penalty for Ireland as Fiji kill the ball.
73 mins Peno Fiji. Leo Cullen offside. Flannery looks wobbly on his feet.
72 mins No try. Peno for Fiji because of side entry. they are on the line again. Rauluni pases it to Litlte to Baikeinuku. He sets up. Qera drives from the ruck. Still on the line. Ireland defend hard. Buckley makes another huge tackle.
70 mins Ireland knock-on from the restart into touch. Fiji have a free-kick as Ireland close the line. Fiji are trying to bash over from one yard. Buckley makes a huge hit on white shirt. Seuseu charges for the line. The ref wants the TMO to have a look. I think there was someone else holding the ball under tighthead prop Seuseu and he grounded it. TRY: ?
68 mins Ireland win the scrum and the ball goes wide to Kearney. He is in the 22. He does a Jurgen Klinsmann-style dive under Goneva and makes it over with momentum! TRY: 32-6. CONVERSION: Sexton kicks: he gets it, really tough kick from the touchline! 34-6.
68 mins Ireland are beginnning to look dominant now.
67 mins O'Driscoll intercepts. Feeds Heaslip, Court and Buckley: who is on now. Flannery gets it and cuts back inside, but he loses it in contact in the 22-metre area.
66 mins Scrum Fiji: Fiji offside at scrumtime. Ireland come through. Lovobalavu intercepts for Fiji.
65 mins Fiji restart and gather from that restart. Rauluni feeds Satala in the Ireland 22. He loses it. O'Driscoll passes to D'Arcy. O'Brien is fed the ball: he loses in contact.
62 mins TRY: 8, 9 move almost puts O'Leary in. The play is switched to the left wing. The ball goes through the hands from O'Driscoll to D'Arcy and Earls gets a second try, going over unmarked on the left. CONVERSION: Sexton kicks from the touchline outside the 22-metre line and gets it! Superb! 27-6.
61 mins Fiji knock on inside their own 22! Ireland scrum: illegal play from Fiji in the scrum. Scrum again: O'Leary puts in. Ireland win another scrum for Fiji boring in the scrum.
60 mins Horgan is fed the ball and drives into the Fiji half. From the ruck, O'Driscoll kicks crossfield for Earls, too long for him, but hits touch in the Fiji 22.
59 mins Lovobalavu drives. Rauluni passes to Nagusa on the left wing. Too much rugby from Fiji in their own half. They knock on.
58 mins Veikoso's line-out ball finds Rauluni. Fiji lose it in the ruck, but Ireland lose it straight back.
57 mins Line-out Ireland: Flannery to O'Connell jumping at four. O'Brien charges clear. The ball is put through the hands from 9 to 11. Earls is put into touch.
56 mins Loosehead Tarogi takes it forward in the loose for Fiji. Fiji go through the phases, but Rauluni then inexplicably kicks the ball away! Just silly from the scrum-half!
55 mins Fiji penalty for Ireland not rolling away at the ruck from the line-out. Little kicks to the 10-metre line.
54 mins Scrum Ireland in the Fiji 22-metre area. Reddan puts in: good scrum. Reddan breaks down the blindside but the pitch is slightly too narrow! He is put into touch and knocks on. Tomas O'Leary comes on for Reddan.
53 mins Nagusa is on for Ligairi at full-back.
52 mins Reddan puts in to the scrum. Heaslip to Ferris. Tom Court barrels forward a few yards. Sexton kicks to Ligairi at full-back, who returns it. Kearney gathers and kicks to the Fiji half; he hits touch inside the 22-metre line.
51 mins Fiji play it out the line, Horgan nearly intercepts but it's knock-on Fiji. Ireland scrum.
48 mins Fiji fail to use the ensuing possession. Ireland scrum. Sexton boots to the Fiji ten-metre line, but on the full. Play has been brought back the 22-metre line.
47 mins Little restarts. Horgan gathers and charges at Fiji. He loses in midfield. Lovobalavu charges from the quick restart. The ref wants it retaken. Little kicks to the line. He gets it to the 22-metre line.
46 mins Sexton restarts. Baikeinuku at 12 tries to get through midfield. As the ball goes out the line O'Driscoll intercepts from a Little pass - TRY followed by Sexton conversion: 20-6.
45 mins PENALTY: Little knocks over the ball from the Ireland offside. 13-6.
45 mins Leamy is taken from the pitch on the stretcher to a round of applause.
45 mins Leamy still down. Doesn't look good for the Munster man.
45 mins Sean O'Brien makes his first appearance, because Leamy is down. He goes onto a stretcher. It seems that his right leg is the issue.
44 mins We have a comment from Mountjoy@iol.ie! Didn't know they they were RTE.ie readers in the Joy! The reader said:
Our scrum half, Reddan, kills our backs. He is nowhere near an International class player.
43 mins Fiji win the line-out. Ruck on the blindside. Baikeinuku with a hard drive. Lovobalavu takes up the mantle and Ireland are offside in defence. Peno Fiji.
42 mins The ball is kicked clear to Sexton. Horgan gets the ball at the ruck, but holds on. Peno Fiji. Little kicks into the Ireland 22-metre line.
41 mins We are off again. Sexton kicks to Fiji. They setup in the 22. They put the ball out the line in their own 22. It is cleared to Rob Kearney, who puts it down Fiji's throats.
6.11pm The RTÉ panel are very critical of the team. Apparently they need to be far more effective in hand. George Hook wants to see Sexton at out-half for Ireland against South Africa on the basis of this performance.
40 mins Peno Ireland for deliberate obstruction, Sexton will go for 3 points from inside the 22 metre area. PENALTY: Sexton kicks it through the posts. 13-3 to Ireland and the half-time whistle is blown.
38 mins Ireland scrum. The scrum needs to be reset. It is and passed out to Sexton who clears to the Fiji half. Ligairi kicks back to Sexton. The ball is gathered by Sexton who passes to O'Driscoll and he just has to pass to Horgan in the Fiji 22 and he is in, but Rauluni intercepts.
37 mins Ireland destroy Fiji in the scrum and there is a turnover. Tom Court is delivering for Ireland at the scrum.
37 mins Boko takes the line-out and they set-up a ruck from a Lovobalavu drive. Scrum Fiji due to Irish hands.
36 mins Little kicks to the Irish 22 metre line. Can they secure line-out ball?
35 mins Fiji take the line-out and trundle forward in a ruck. Qera picks and makes two inches. Slow and deliberate drives forward. Peno Fiji for Irish interference.
34 mins Rauluni feeds Qera. Raulini passed to Lovobalavu who clears to Rob Kearney. He kicks to the Fiji half and just inside halfway.
33 mins Flannery throws to Heslip at the back of the line-out. The ball is setup in midfield but Reddan knocks on at the base of the ruck.
31 mins Ireland's scrum is not steady so far. They need a good one here. They set up: Rauluni puts in, Ireland destroy the Fiji scrum! But Fiji are given another chance by Marius Jonker. They set again: the ref blows up, he wants it steady when the ball goes in. We have a third put in: Ireland put the shunt on, Fiji steady and clear through Little to his own ten metre line.
30 mins So a Fiji put in. It squirts out the back, and Ireland come through. Reddan dives on it to win possession. O'Driscoll at scrum-half, Flannery at out-half. Sexton kicks to touch, but it's knocked on by an Irish hand. Fiji scrum, five metres from their own line.
29 mins Ireland shunted back and Fiji turn it over. Bad from Ireland.
28 mins Rain has stopped as Sexton restarts. Boko knocks it forward and Ireland win the scrum. Reddan puts in. The scrum is a mess, the ref wants it again.
27 mins Fiji in the ten-metre area now. Little chips ahead and Baikeinuku gathers and Ireland play the ball on the ground. Peno Fiji. Little steps up again. PENALTY: From inside Ireland's 10 metre area he puts it right through the posts. 10-3.
26 mins Sexton restarts. Hayes knocks on from that restart. Fiji scrum. Boko picks at the base of the scrum, Leo Cullen hammers him backwards.
25 mins It's a shot at goal from halfway, and he misses it.
23 mins Rawaqa taps and goes. Rauluni spreads the ball to Little who hits Leamy in midfield. Vaikoso hits Heaslip and Flannery at the same time. Penalty to Fiji in the ruck for Leamy playing the ball on the ground. Little will have a shot at goal.
22 mins Sexton kicks to touch but the ball is knocked forward in the line-out. Fiji scrum. And they go down too early in the scrum and Fiji have a free-kick.
21 mins Earls cleared and Ireland won a penalty at the breakdown.
19 mins Kearney claims the ball from the kick-off and clear to Roko on the left wing, he clears back to Sexton. Sexton chips and chases. Fiji set up the ruck. The ball is cleared to Earls on the wing.
18 mins TRY: Scrum Ireland and a deviation to the O'Driscoll try against Australia. 8, 9 but 13 is missed out as Earls loops in from the left wing. He goes over with an injection of pace. CONVERSION: Sexton converts. 10-0.
17 mins Ireland scrum. it goes to the feet of Heaslip who picks but he is hammered by Satala and Qera and Rauluni. But penalty to Ireland, due to an infringement in the scrum.
17 mins Nicky Little warms his hands in his armpits!
16 mins Fiji take their own line-out and ruck it forward. They don't use and a free-kick is awarded to Ireland.
15 mins Stephen Ferris takes the line-out ball. Ireland trundle forward. Ruck formed. Slow ball, but the ball is put out to Heaslip and a ruck formed again. Sexton kicks to touch again. Great kick! Keith Earls gathers on the wing and feeds Rob Kearney, he is put into touch inches from the line.
14 mins Rawaqa gathers the line-out. Raulini passed to Little from the ruck, he kicks nearly to the halfway line.
13 mins Several phases from Ireland in the Fiji ten-metre area. Sexton chips in behind the defence. Too long though and straight into touch.
12 mins Scrum Ireland. Ireland put it through hands; Sexton, Heaslip and O'Driscoll. A ruck is formed, ball doesn't come out. Scrum Ireland for going forward.
11 mins Short line-out for Fiji. Fiji claim. The ball is knocked forward by Satala from a Little pass.
10 mins Little restarts. Heaslip catches and drives, before Kearney uses the wind to clear to the Fiji 22-metre line.
9 mins Sexton steps up for the penalty, he's going for goal. PENALTY: He gets it, from just outside the Fiji 22-metre line. 3-0.
8 mins Ireland win the line-out and maul it. Stephen Ferris and Paul O'Connell in charge there. Penalty for Fiji not rolling away at the breakdown. Openside flanker Akapusi Qera was the culprit.
7 mins Fiji scrum, they do well and the ball is put ouu the line. Little chips forward but Kearney gathers and clears. Lovobalavu clears back to the Ireland ten metre line.
6 mins The scrum collapses and is reset. Reddan puts in and Ireland have a steady scrum this time. Forward pass from Sexton to Horgan. Shaggy could have been in there, poor pass.
4 mins Fiji scrum holds possession just. Veikoso picks and goes for Fiji in a driving maul. Fiji recycle well. The rain has stopped here at the RDS. The ball is static in the ruck. No 6 for Fiji Satala knocks on, and Fiji lose the ball.
3 mins Rawaqa knocks on in the line-out for Fiji but no advantage. Ireland turn over at the ruck. Fiji Number 8 Asaeli Boko keeps the ball in and the kick is cleared to Sexton who knocks on.
2 mins Rob Kearney gathers a Fiji clearance and puts it into touch.
1min And we're off. Marius Jonker blows the whislte. Fiji kick to Ireland. A ruck is formed and Eoin Reddan boots downfield to Nicky Kittle who clears. Johnno Sexton makes an opening break.
5.16pm Ye Gods have decreed that the weather is to be as bad as possible. It's raining frogs out there!
5.14pm And now, of course, love it or loathe it, Ireland's Call gets an airing.
5.14pm And now, a certain tune called Amhrán na bhFiann.
5.13pm The anthem, for you stattos out there, is called God Bless Fiji.
5.11pm The team's line-up for the anthems,as the rain begins to pelt down again. So much for the rain holding off. The Garda bands crack into action with the Fijian anthem.
5.09pm The talk in the RTÉ stuido was of a comfortable victory for Ireland and a brave effort from Fiji. Let's hope that's the case.
5.08pm The teams are coming out onto the pitch at the RDS. This is, incidentally, the first international rugby match to be played at the old venue.
5.07pm Hi again folks. So, kick-off is approaching at the RDS. The rain is holding off in Dublin, but the ground is very soggy underfoot.
15.02pm Also, just for the record, Ireland have played Fiji twice in the past. Ireland have come out on top in both those meetings. They are as follows:
18 November 1995: Test match - Ireland 44-8 Fiji, Lansdowne Rd
17 November 2002: Test match - Ireland 64-17 Fiji, Lansdowne Rd
15.02pm I'll be back to update you on the Ireland game at around 5 o'clock. In the meantime, Wales v Argentina is live on RTÉ Two right now. Click here to watch that encouter.
3.00pm Good afternoon rugby fans and welcome to our live matchtracker coverage of Ireland v Fiji at the RDS. It was an extremely blustery morning here in Dublin, but the weather has calmed down nicely and I would even venture as far to call it a nice day here in the capital.
The big story today is undoubtedly the debut of Leinster out-half Jonathan Sexton. Sexton, as we all know, has been touted as the man to dislodge O’Gara from the number 10 Ireland jersey. Today is a huge chance for him to stake his claim to that pivotal role in the build up to the Six Nations 2010.
It also a crucial day for Gordon D’Arcy as he attempts to show Declan Kidney that he can still challenge Paddy Wallace for a starting berth in the first choice Ireland XV.
Another man who will be under extreme scrutiny will be left winger Keith Earls. Following the news that Luke Fitzgerald will miss the upcoming Six Nations campaign, Earls has become essential to Ireland’s hopes of retaining Europe’s premier international rugby trophy. A steady defensive performance, while maintaining his attacking flair and overcoming the nerves that dogged some of his British and Irish Lions’ performances is a must for the Munster man.
Game time for Leinster scrum-half Eoin Reddan is also a bonus of this encounter. For Ireland to have two top tier and internationally experienced scrum-halves would be a huge fillip. Scotland’s ability to call on the excellent Chris Cusiter or Mike Blair is an apt example of how choice in this area is an excellent way to change the flow of game.
Ireland’s scrum was the side’s most prominent Achilles’ heel against Australia at Croke Park last Sunday. A good performance at scrum-time for Ulster’s Tom Court would be go a long way towards reassuring the Ireland selectors that the options in this area are not as bleak as most fans seem to believe they are.
Ireland: R Kearney; S Horgan, B O'Driscoll, capt, G D'Arcy, K Earls; J Sexton, E Reddan; T Court, J Flannery, J Hayes, L Cullen, P O'Connell, S Ferris, D Leamy, J Heaslip.
Replacements: S Cronin, T Buckley, D O'Callaghan, S O'Brien, T O'Leary, P Wallace, A Trimble.
Fiji: N Ligairi; V Goneva, G Lovobalavu, S Baikeinuku, N Roko; N Little, M Rauluni; A Tarogi, V Veikoso, V Seuseu; W Lewaravu, I Rawaqa; A Satala, A Qera, A Boko.
Replacements: I Ledua, G Dewes, L Nakarawa, S Bola, W Vatuvoka, J Matavesi, T Nagusa.
Referee: Marius Jonker (South Africa)
