Australia led 18-3 at half time, and registered another try just after the break thanks to Will Genia setting up a gift try for Seope Kepu.
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The Wallabies are confident they can continue to improve their set pieces after their win over Fiji.
However, this was the first time Fiji scored at least one try in consecutive games against Australia since 1972-76.
Fiji battled late, and came close to crossing the line on a couple of occasions, with the pressure leading to Tevita Kuridrani being sent to the sin-bin for the Aussies.
RWC: Australia have faced Fiji’s uniques pre-match war dance before their Pool A match.
Yet the relaxed and happy West Country environs in which the 48-year-old is plotting his path to World Cup glory – less than a year into his tenure as coach – was enlivened somewhat by South Africa’s shock defeat.
“We haven’t thought about that (bonus points try), it’s not super rugby, this is the world cup”, said Wallabies coach, Michael Cheika.
“You’ve always got to have that readiness in rugby, because it’s a contact sport”, Cheika said. I preach to my team about being humble.
“I’m not counting points, I just want to win a game and then try and win the next one”.
Getting through the first round is no given this year, however, with 2003 champions England and Wales, who both kicked off their campaigns with bonus-point victories, also competing for the top two spots in Pool A. As he revealed before the tournament, he plans to make wholesale changes.
The suspension takes effect immediately and includes the player’s remaining matches at the Rugby World Cup and thereafter converts to weeks with his English club, Gloucester.
“The Fijians really gave it to us”. As for the bonus point, it’s not a problem.
“Another tough night for our team”, Fiji coach John McKee said.
Fiji’s goal is to not be regarded as a tier-two nation – to be able to travel to take on the likes of Australia, New Zealand and England as equals.
“They’re not the biggest men in terms of their height, but Pocock is wonderful (and fellow flanker Michael) Hooper copped a lot”.
Save for one wayward pass from Genia which evaded Foley’s clutches, the two combined well in their first outing and laid down the gauntlet to back-up halves Nick Phipps and Quade Cooper, who get their chance against Uruguay on Sunday.
Cheika said he was very comfortable with Pocock playing No.8. He did his business in attack and his technical stuff well. “He worked very, very hard, himself and Hooper were good in their work-rate off the ball”.
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“It was a really good workout for us. We needed to come to terms with that relatively quickly”.
