Wales picked up from their promising finale to the Six Nations with a 34-29 victory over Fiji.
Steve Tandy’s side were technically the away team for their Nations Championship opener despite the game being played at Cardiff City Stadium.
A disappointing crowd of 16,456 was in attendance in the Welsh capital but they saw a second successive win for the men in red with returning flanker Jac Morgan scoring two of his team’s six tries.
Morgan missed the Six Nations due to injury but was man of the match and part of a strong Wales forward effort which was a stark contrast to Fiji’s livewire backline.
Fiji’s next game is with England at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday but they are set to be without Semi Radradra after he suffered a serious leg injury in Cardiff.
‘It was really important to win again,’ said Wales wing Josh Adams, who poached a try when Fiji’s Selestino Ravutaumada dawdled fatally.
Jac Morgan scored twice on his return to Wales duty in his team’s Nations Championship win
Morgan was part of an impressive Welsh forward effort against Fiji. Here, Ryan Elias scores
‘We closed the game out and we’re glad to get the win.
‘We’ve shown how much we’ve developed since the Six Nations and we want to keep building.’
Earlier in the day, Ireland came from behind to survive a big scare by Australia and seal a 33-31 victory in Sydney.
Tom Clarkson’s 77th minute try was the key moment for the men in green.
In another high-scoring encounter, New Zealand’s first game under the guidance of new head coach Dave Rennie saw them just hold out France 34-32.
France were without a host of star men including Antoine Dupont, Louis Bielle-Biarrey and Thomas Ramos, but pushed the All Blacks all the way.
