Despite a spirited showing from Fiji, they were no match for Australia who ran away with the game 42-8.
Playing at Leeds’ home ground Headingley, it was the Fijians who would open the scoring.
A perfectly weighted grubbed from Siti Moceidreke saw Semi Valemei react quickest to score.
The Fijian defence was able to briefly hold off the Australian attack but ultimately, it would crack.
Try-scoring machine Jeremiah Nanai continued his good form with a debut try for Australia.
This started somewhat of a try-a-thon for the Kangaroos.
Josh Addo-Carr scored the first of his two tries with a runaway try on the back of good lead up play from Latrell Mitchell.
Angus Crichton would also score a debut try on the stroke of half time.
Cam Munster then got himself involved to put Mitchell over to score before Harry Grant stepped up to the plate.
First, Grant kicked a 40/20 and then burrowed his way over from dummy half.
James Tedesco then weaved, darted and glided around Fijian defenders to score.
Fiji stuck in the game valiantly and had a second try when Sunia Turuva scored off a Brandon Wakeham grubber.
A second try for Addo-Carr was the icing on the cake for the Kangaroos win.
The one downside was a concussion for Reuben Cotter and he will be unavailable for the next game.
Kangaroos half Munster knew that the Fijians would want to start well and praised their efforts.
“We knew Fiji were going to come out really hard,” Munster said.
“They started really well so we had to combat that and we were lucky to get the win tonight.”
Fijian prop Tui Kamikamica knows that his side can do better and admits a lack of discipline cost them.
“We started off well, but we just needed to fix up some of the things in the second half like our discipline and giving them soft penalties,” Kamikamica said.
NRL News Player of the Game
3. Harry Grant (AUS)
2. Cameron Munster (AUS)
1. James Tedesco (AUS)
