Fiji Bulikula can taste it, they can smell it. What is that taste you ask? A historic World Cup berth awaits them should they beat Samoa next week following their win over the Cook Islands Moana.
Playing at Suva’s HFC Bank Stadium, it was Vitalina Naikore who put on a show bagging a hat-trick to grant Fiji their first Test win since 2019.
The Bulikula may have dominated the first 10 minutes or so but had nothing to show for it.
Instead, it was the Moana side that took the lead as Kerehitina Matua powered over to score and put them up 6-0.
But try as they might, missed tackles proved to be the downfall for the Moana and the Fijian side was rewarded.
Talei Holmes opened their scoring as she powered over from close range.
Naikore scored her first as the Bulikula went right and she cut inside, then stepped away from a defender to plant the ball down.
The winger had a second when she caught a crossfield kick and cut inside a defender to race 10m to score.
Her third came via a simple overlap on the right as she finished off the attacking play with ease.
The win means that Fiji have a chance for a maiden World Cup berth.
NRL News Player of the Game
3. Vitalina Naikore (FIJ)
2. Talei Holmes (FIJ)
1. Nanise Vakacavu (FIJ)
