Nations Championship
Fiji (10) 24
Tries: Sowakula, Canakaivata, Ravutaumada Cons: Armstrong-Ravula 3 Pen: Armstrong-Ravula
Wales (10) 39
Tries: Morgan 2, Carre, Adams, Elias, James Cons: Edwards, Costelow 2 Pen: Edwards
Six-try Wales recorded consecutive international wins for the first time in three years by defeating Fiji 39-24 in their Nations Championship opener at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Two tries from flanker Jac Morgan allowed Wales somehow to keep a rampant Fiji side to 10-10 at half-time.
Wales showed their fitness by scoring second-half tries from prop Rhys Carre, wing Josh Adams, hooker Ryan Elias and centre Eddie James.
Fiji managed tries from flanker Pita Gus Sowakula, number eight Elia Canakaivata and wing Selestino Ravutaumada, with fly-half Isaiah Armstrong-Ravula kicking nine points.
Wales followed up the Six Nations win against Italy at the Principality Stadium in March to win back-to-back Tests for the first time since the 2023 World Cup.
Morgan was named player of the match for his two-try exploits and brilliant defensive display.
Fiji dominated the attacking statistics but Wales managed to contain them, while their set-piece superiority resulted in three of the six tries coming from driving mauls as head coach Steve Tandy's gameplan proved successful.
The only negative for Wales was that the match was played in front of a disappointing crowd of 16,456 in the first rugby international played at Cardiff City's football stadium.
This victorious Wales side, who beat a team two places above them in the world rankings, deserved to have celebrated that success in front of more fans.
Wales scored six tries in a game for the first time in a Test for five years, with Fiji also the opponent on that occasion.
Wales will now travel to face Argentina and South Africa, while Fiji face England at the Hill Dickinson Stadium in Liverpool and Scotland at Murrayfield.
The build-up had been hampered by a dispute between the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) and the players about match fees, which was only resolved three days before kick-off.
Captain Dewi Lake and former centre and current WRU board member Jamie Roberts both stated that should not have happened, but head coach Tandy insisted no training was missed.
This was officially a home game for Fiji, 10,000 miles from home, with Wales the visitors in their own capital city.
The Fijians are playing the three matches in July in the UK because they currently do not have a stadium to meet the Nations Championship criteria.
It is hoped the revenue raised from staging home games in Europe during the next two tournaments can help build that ground by 2030.
Tandy made six changes from the team that defeated the Barbarians, with the return of four English and French-based club players including Louis Rees-Zammit, who lined up on the wing rather than the full-back position he occupied during the Six Nations.
Fiji flair but Wales keep on level terms
There was a special Fiji celebration provided before the match and their team demonstrated an immediate intent from the kick-off with a flowing move before captain Tevita Ikanivere lost possession.
It was a warning Wales did not heed and Fiji's second attack resulted in the opening try.
A wonderful offloading move involved powerhouse centre Josua Tuisova and scrum-half Frank Lomani, before Sowakula was released to score, with Armstrong-Ravula converting.
Wales responded with a more traditional approach as prop Rhys Carre won a scrum penalty and Morgan was driven over for a try in his first international since November.
Fiji demonstrated their attacking superiority, which included an outrageous between-the-legs pass from full-back Salesi Rayasi, but Ravutaumada failed to ground the ball under pressure from Blair Murray.
Fiji prop Tim Hoyt also knocked on following more resilient and desperate defence from his opposite number Dillon Lewis and Joe Hawkins.
Bordeaux full-back Rayasi was rampant in the opening quarter, demonstrated by a scything counter-attack before his loose pass went astray.
Wales regrouped and inflicted some rare pressure as returning flanker Alex Mann dropped the ball over the Fiji line.
Fiji lost centre Semi Radradra to injury following a tackle by opposite number Eddie James.
After the long break, Wales kept their composure as Morgan was driven over from another rolling maul as Tandy's side found themselves in the lead.
Fly-half Dan Edwards missed a second conversion, perhaps the effect of a difficult afternoon as he found himself the victim of thunderous tackles.
Hoyt was also forced off the field and Wales won another scrum penalty just before half-time to set up an attacking platform.
But after Wales lost possession, star wing Jiuta Wainiqolo surged away with a second searing break in a few minutes to allow Fiji to force a final onslaught on the Welsh line.
When Wales transgressed, Fiji opted for an Armstrong-Ravula penalty to level the half-time scores.
Clinical Wales come out on top
The first-half attacking disparity between the two sides was demonstrated with Fiji having 25 offloads, 104 carries and 469 metres made compared with 0, 322 and 66 for Wales.
But Tandy's side demonstrated how to be clinical early in the second half when breaks from Murray and scrum-half Tomos Williams were finished off by Carre, who scored a fourth try in five internationals.
Fiji were rocked and following a speculative Hawkins kick, Ravutaumada was inexplicably caught napping by Adams as he picked the pocket of his opposite number to score.
Fiji responded with a driving try of their own, Canakaivata going over, before Edwards restored the advantage to more than one score with a first penalty.
Wales coughed up possession from the kick-off and when the ball went wide, Ravutaumada made amends by sprinting over to score to reduce the deficit to one point.
Tandy made a raft of replacements, including a first cap for Ospreys prop Ben Warren, and the Welsh bench made a crucial impact.
Fellow replacement Elias was driven over, with fly-half Sam Costelow converting.
It was left to the Scarlets centre partnership to finish the victory with Hawkins setting up James.
How they lined up
Fiji: Rayasi; Ravutamada, Radradra, Tuisova, Wainiqolo; Armstrong-Ravula, Lomani; Mawi, Ikanivere (capt), Hoyt, Nasilasila, Mayanavanua, Sowakula, Salawa, Canakaivata.
Replacements: Togiatama, Natave, Ravai, Vocevoce, Yato, Kuruvoli, Botito, Ravouvou.
Wales: Murray; Rees-Zammit, James, Hawkins, Adams; Edwards, T Williams; Carre, Lake (capt), Lewis, Carter, Beard, Mann, Morgan, Wainwright.
Replacements: Elias, Smith, Warren, Plumtree, Botham, Hardy, Costelow, Mee.
Referee: Eoghan Cross (Ireland)
Assistant referees: Matthew Carley (England) & Hollie Davidson (Scotland)
TMO: Leo Colgan (Ireland)
