History of rugby union matches between Australia and Fiji

Last updated

Australia and Fiji have played each other a total of twenty-three times, of which Australia has won the most with nineteen, including three at the Rugby World Cup's (RWC) of 2007, 2015 and 2019. Fiji won two of the first four matches between the two teams (between 1952 and 1954), however did not beat Australia again until 2023 (69 years and 83 days later), at the 2023 Rugby World Cup. [1] [2]

Contents

Their first meeting was in 1952, Australia won 15–9. Australia is also Fiji's most played Tier-One opponent, slightly ahead of Japan, whom were given Tier One status by World Rugby (WR) in 2020. [3]

Summary

Overall

DetailsPlayedWon by
Australia		Won by
Fiji		DrawnAustralia pointsFiji points
In Australia161321469192
In Fiji33005931
Neutral venue431013768
Overall231931665291

Records

Note: Date shown in brackets indicates when the record was last set.

RecordAustraliaFiji
Longest winning streak15 (19 September 1972 – 21 September 2019)1 (9 August 1952 – 5 June 1954;
26 June 1954 – 10 June 1961;
17 September 2023 – present)
Largest points for
Home66 (18 September 1998)19 (19 September 1972)
Away55 (23 September 2007)28 (10 August 1985)
Largest winning margin
Home49 (9 June 2007)—
Away43 (23 September 2007)7 (17 September 2023)

Results

No.DateVenueScoreWinnerCompetitionAttendanceRef.
126 July 1952 Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney 15–9Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1952 Fiji tour of Australia13,457 [4]
29 August 1952Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney15–17Flag of Fiji (1924-1970).svg  Fiji 42,004 [5]
35 June 1954 Exhibition Ground, Brisbane 22–19Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1954 Fiji tour of Australia29,753 [6]
426 June 1954Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney16–18Flag of Fiji (1924-1970).svg  Fiji 33,099 [7] [8]
510 June 1961Exhibition Ground, Brisbane24–6Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1961 Fiji tour of Australia7,000 [9]
617 June 1961Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney20–14Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 20,868 [10]
71 July 1961 Olympic Park Stadium, Melbourne 3–3draw7,500 [11]
819 September 1972 Buckhurst Park, Suva 19–21Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1972 Australia tour of New Zealand and Fiji 13,000 [12]
912 June 1976Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney22–6Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1976 Fiji tour of Australia14,299 [13]
1019 June 1976 Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane21–9Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 10,000 [14]
1126 June 1976Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney27–17Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 7,800 [15]
1224 May 1980Buckhurst Park, Suva9–22Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1980 Australia tour of Fiji 20,000 [16]
139 June 1984Buckhurst Park, Suva3–16Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1984 Australia tour of Fiji 20,000 [17]
1410 August 1985Ballymore Stadium, Brisbane52–28Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1985 Fiji tour of Australia 10,000 [18]
1517 August 1985Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney31–9Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 12,987 [19]
1618 September 1998 Parramatta Stadium, Sydney66–20Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 1999 Rugby World Cup qualification 17,242 [20]
179 June 2007 Subiaco Oval, Perth 49–0Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2007 Tri Nations Series warm-up match 20,108 [21]
1823 September 2007 Stade de la Mosson, Montpellier (France)55–12Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2007 Rugby World Cup 32,321 [22]
195 June 2010 Canberra Stadium, Canberra 49–3Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2010 Tri Nations Series warm-up match 15,438 [23]
2023 September 2015 Millennium Stadium, Cardiff (Wales)28–13Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2015 Rugby World Cup 67,253 [24]
2110 June 2017 Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, Melbourne37–14Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2017 Summer International 13,583 [25]
2221 September 2019 Sapporo Dome, Sapporo (Japan)39–21Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia 2019 Rugby World Cup 36,482 [26]
2317 September 2023 Stade Geoffroy-Guichard, Saint-Étienne (France)15–22Flag of Fiji.svg  Fiji 2023 Rugby World Cup 41,294 [27] [28]

List of series

PlayedWon by
Australia		Won by
Fiji		Drawn
8602
YearAustraliaFijiSeries winner
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 195211draw
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 195411draw
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 196120 [lower-alpha 1] Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of New Zealand.svgFlag of Fiji.svg 1972 10Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 197630Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Fiji.svg 1980 10Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Fiji.svg 1984 10Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of Australia (converted).svg 1985 20Flag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia

Statistics

Per location

In Australia

State/Territory LocationVenueWon by
Australia		Won by
Fiji		Drawn
Flag of New South Wales.svg  New South Wales Sydney Sydney Cricket Ground 520
Parramatta Stadium 100
Total62—
Flag of Queensland.svg  Queensland Brisbane Exhibition Ground 200
Ballymore Stadium 200
Total40—
Flag of Victoria (Australia).svg  Victoria Melbourne Olympic Park Stadium 001
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium 100
Total101
Flag of Western Australia.svg  Western Australia Perth Subiaco Oval 100
Total10—
Flag of the Australian Capital Territory.svg  Australian Capital Territory Canberra Canberra Stadium 100
Total10—
Overall total1321

In Fiji

Province LocationVenueWon by
Australia		Won by
Fiji		Drawn
Rewa Suva National Stadium 300
Total30—
Overall total30—

Neutral location

Country LocationVenueWon by
Australia		Won by
Fiji		Drawn
Flag of France.svg  France Montpellier Stade de la Mosson 100
Saint-Étienne Stade Geoffroy-Guichard 010
Total11—
Flag of Wales (1959-present).svg  Wales Cardiff Millennium Stadium 100
Total10—
Flag of Japan.svg  Japan Sapporo Sapporo Dome 100
Total10—
Overall total31—

Notes

  1. ↑ Australia won two tests with one test being drawn; Australia were series winners 2–0.

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References

  1. ↑ Pentony, Luke (18 September 2023). "Fiji defeat leaves Wallabies with their backs to the wall at Rugby World Cup in France". ABC News. Archived from the original on 18 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  2. ↑ Rindl, Joe (17 September 2023). "Australia 15–22 Fiji: Flying Fijians beat the Wallabies for the first time at Rugby World Cup". BBC Sport . BBC. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  3. ↑ Taniguchi, Makoto (5 May 2020). "Japan's national rugby team to be certified Tier 1". Nikkei Asian Review . Nikkei, Inc. Archived from the original on 19 May 2020.
  4. ↑ "Australia beats Fiji in Test with brilliant wet-weather display". The Daily Telegraph . Vol. XIII, no. 36. New South Wales, Australia. 27 July 1952. p. 19. Retrieved 27 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  5. ↑ Kann, E. W. (10 August 1952). "Fiji's Spectacular Test Win; £7,000 Tour Profit". The Sun . No. 2572. New South Wales, Australia. p. 26. Retrieved 27 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  6. ↑ Tresidder, Phil (6 June 1954). "Australia, Man Short, Beats Fiji In Test". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XV, no. 29. New South Wales, Australia. p. 35. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  7. ↑ "FURIOUS FUSS, FLURRY AS FIJIANS FORCE FINAL TEST WIN". Truth . No. 3361. New South Wales, Australia. 27 June 1954. p. 31. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  8. ↑ "Fijian Union team snatches after-bell win in final Test against Aust". The Daily Telegraph. Vol. XV, no. 32. New South Wales, Australia. 27 June 1954. p. 28. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  9. ↑ Baxter, Stan (11 June 1961). "Aust. thrash Fiji by six tries to nil". The Sydney Morning Herald . Brisbane, Queensland.
  10. ↑ Baxter, Stan (18 June 1961). "Clearly Too Speedy For Fijians. Aust. Take Second R. U. Test 20 to 14". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  11. ↑ "R. U. Test 3–3 Draw Ends In Brawl". The Sydney Morning Herald. 2 July 1961.
  12. ↑ "Australia Tour". ESPN .
  13. ↑ Webster, Jim (13 June 1976). "Australia win test with low-key effort". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  14. ↑ Webster, Jim (20 June 1976). "'New' Fijians Go Down Fighting". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  15. ↑ "Fiji Tour – Australia v Fiji". ESPN.
  16. ↑ "RUGBY UNION McLean's boot defeats Fiji". The Canberra Times . Vol. 54, no. 16, 313. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 25 May 1980. p. 19. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  17. ↑ "RUGBY UNION Strong win to Wallabies". The Canberra Times. Vol. 58, no. 17, 787. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 10 June 1984. p. 23. Retrieved 28 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  18. ↑ "Battle for possession". The Canberra Times. Vol. 59, no. 18, 213. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 11 August 1985. p. 1 (Sport). Retrieved 28 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  19. ↑ "Wallaby shadows wrap up series with five-try win". The Canberra Times. Vol. 59, no. 18, 220. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 18 August 1985. p. 1 (Sport). Retrieved 28 August 2023– via National Library of Australia.
  20. ↑ Growden, Greg (19 September 1998). "Australia romp to record, then start to count cost". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  21. ↑ "Wallabies hammer Fiji". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 14 June 2007. Archived from the original on 29 October 2016.
  22. ↑ "Rugby Union: Australia defeats Fiji 55–12 in World Cup group B". The New York Times . Montpellier, France: The New York Times Company. 23 September 2007. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023.
  23. ↑ "Wallabies run riot against Fiji". ABC News. Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). 11 June 2010. Archived from the original on 30 October 2016.
  24. ↑ "Rugby World Cup 2015: Australia 28–13 Fiji". BBC Sport . BBC. 23 September 2015. Archived from the original on 5 September 2016.
  25. ↑ Decent, Tom (10 June 2017). "Israel Folau finds form as Wallabies get year on right track with 37–14 win over Fiji". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Archived from the original on 16 March 2018.
  26. ↑ Parkin, Richard (21 September 2019). "Australia 39–21 Fiji: Rugby World Cup 2019 – as it happened". The Guardian . Guardian Media Group. Archived from the original on 5 May 2021.
  27. ↑ "Australia vs Fiji – Rugby World Cup 2023". rugbyworldcup.com. World Rugby. 17 September 2023. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
  28. ↑ Decent, Tom (18 September 2023). "Wallabies' World Cup campaign in crisis as Fiji beat Australia for first time since 1954". The Sydney Morning Herald. Saint-Étienne: Nine Entertainment. Archived from the original on 17 September 2023. Retrieved 18 September 2023.
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