Ryan Baird gets 8.5 and tops our Ireland player ratings after the 43–15 win over Fiji at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday, in Round 5 of the Nations Championship. The flanker made 57 metres, more than anyone else on the pitch, and 17 tackles. He also won three lineouts and made a line break.
Ireland scored seven tries for a bonus-point win, but the first 55 minutes were hard work. They trailed 12–7 after 25 minutes, led only 17–15 at half-time and then pulled away with 26 unanswered points. Jamie Osborne is set to miss next week’s game with a suspected pectoral injury, so who starts at 13 against the Springboks?
‘It flattered us a little bit’
Andy Farrell did not oversell it.
“I’m pleased to get the win, especially the scoreline,” the Ireland head coach said, as reported by RTÉ. “I thought it flattered us a little bit, but having said that, you’ve got to work for those points and find a way, especially when after 25 minutes you’re down by five points against a side that’s playing pretty well as far as the physical nature of the game.”
Fiji coach Jake White, who won the 2007 World Cup with South Africa and has been in the Fiji job for three weeks, went further at his post-match press conference.
“I think we probably did Ireland a favour today. Let me put it that way because I think Ireland deep down knows that if they play like that against South Africa, they’re going to be up against it,” White said, according to RTÉ. He also said that “even Andy Farrell said: ‘You had us,'” the Irish Times reported.
Captain Tadhg Beirne was blunt too. “We got that job done. In terms of performance, probably a little bit clunky,” he told RTÉ Sport.
Where Fiji had Ireland rattled
The official match stats back White up. Fiji won nine turnovers to Ireland’s two, and Ireland missed 26 tackles. Fiji wing Jiuta Wainiqolo beat 11 defenders, the most on the pitch.
Tommy O’Brien scored first, after seven minutes, but Fiji then scored twice in four minutes. Josua Tuisova barged over after a carry from captain Peceli Yato, and Yato scored himself after a Wainiqolo break. Ben Volavola’s conversion made it 12–7 to Fiji.
Ireland had already had a Jamison Gibson-Park try ruled out because he lost control of the ball as he grounded it, and they were later held up near the line. Rob Baloucoune‘s two tries before the break put them 17–12 up. Fiji had a try of their own ruled out when prop Luke Tagi’s score was chalked off for a knock-on at the lineout.
Then Beirne was sin-binned on the stroke of half-time, after referee Angus Gardner had first shown the card to James Ryan. Volavola kicked a penalty to make it 17–15.
How Ireland pulled away
Rónan Kelleher scored the bonus-point try, Ireland’s fourth, five minutes after the restart. Then James McNabney came on for his Test debut. In about three minutes the 23-year-old carried twice for 30 metres and beat four defenders, before a hit from replacement prop Inoke Ravuiwasa ended his night with a head injury. Ravuiwasa was sin-binned.
Andrew Porter scored from close range while Fiji were down to 14, O’Brien got his second just before the hour and Nick Timoney finished it four minutes from time. Fiji did not score after half-time.
“I reckon it’s the best cameo of three-and-a-half minutes or whatever it was on a debut in Irish history really,” Farrell said of McNabney, according to RTÉ. He now faces a 12-day return-to-play period and will miss the South Africa game.
Our view: Farrell is right. Fiji ran Ireland close for 55 minutes and won the breakdown. The set piece is the good news for next week: Ireland’s scrum and lineout success rates were both 100 per cent. The back three of Mack Hansen, Baloucoune and O’Brien carried 42 times for 139 metres and scored four of the seven tries.
READ MORE: Rassie Erasmus: Boks ‘killed our dreams’ in Nations Championship
Ireland player ratings
15 Mack Hansen – 8
Combined with Baloucoune to put O’Brien over for the opening try and helped set up Baloucoune’s first. Carried 17 times for 55 metres and beat six defenders, more than any other Ireland player.
14 Rob Baloucoune – 8
His two tries turned 12–7 down into 17–12 up when little else was working. Two line breaks and 34 metres from 11 carries.
13 Jamie Osborne – Not rated
Went off inside four minutes with a suspected pectoral injury. Farrell confirmed he will miss the Springboks game, The42 reported.
12 Bundee Aki – 6.5
Ten carries for 30 metres and eight tackles over the full 80 minutes, plus one penalty conceded.
11 Tommy O’Brien – 8
Two tries, the first after seven minutes and the second just before the hour. Carried 14 times for 50 metres with two line breaks. Ireland won only two turnovers all night, and he won one of them.
10 Sam Prendergast – 6.5
Gave the final pass for Baloucoune’s first try and made 30 passes, but landed only three of his six conversions. Two of those misses came in a first half that ended 17–15, and that keeps him off a 7.
9 Jamison Gibson-Park – 6.5
Made 58 passes and 40 metres from five carries, with one line break. Had a try ruled out for losing control as he grounded the ball. Replaced after 56 minutes.
1 Andrew Porter – 8
His try, converted for 29–15, broke Fiji. Made eight tackles and won one of Ireland’s two turnovers, and the scrum’s success rate was 100 per cent.
2 Rónan Kelleher – 7.5
Scored the bonus-point try and made 15 tackles, the third most in the Ireland side.
3 Tadhg Furlong – 7
Part of a scrum with a 100 per cent success rate. Seven tackles and one penalty conceded. Went off for Sam Illo after 49 minutes and came back on for the last eight when Illo went off.
4 James Ryan – 6.5
Eleven tackles, but only seven metres from five carries. Was shown a yellow card by mistake before the referee gave it to Beirne. Replaced after 56 minutes.
5 Tadhg Beirne (captain) – 6.5
Won six lineouts, the most on the pitch, and added 12 carries and 10 tackles. The yellow card just before half-time cost him, and Fiji kicked a penalty in the same spell to close to 17–15.
6 Ryan Baird – 8.5
Made 57 metres, the most on the pitch, from 12 carries, plus 17 tackles, three lineout wins and a line break. He was held up just short of the line in the first half, which is the only thing missing.
7 Josh van der Flier – 7.5
Made 18 tackles, the most in the match, and carried six times for 25 metres.
8 Nick Timoney – 7.5
Scored Ireland’s seventh try four minutes from time. Ten carries for 35 metres, eight tackles and a line break. Went off for McNabney after 49 minutes and was back on four minutes later.
Replacements
16 Tom Stewart – 6 – On for the last 19 minutes and made four tackles.
17 Tom O’Toole – 6 – Nineteen minutes, five tackles and one penalty conceded.
18 Sam Illo – 6 – Made six tackles in 23 minutes. He went off late with a head injury and has entered the head injury assessment protocols, The42 reported.
19 Darragh Murray – 6 – Twenty-four minutes in place of Ryan, with four tackles.
20 James McNabney – 7 – A Test debut of about three minutes: two carries, 30 metres, four defenders beaten. Farrell called it “the shortest cameo of a first cap”.
21 Craig Casey – 6.5 – Made 25 passes and an offload in 24 minutes after replacing Gibson-Park at 56 minutes.
22 Ciarán Frawley – 6 – Converted Timoney’s try and conceded one penalty.
23 Stuart McCloskey – 7.5 – On inside four minutes for Osborne and carried 19 times, the most on the pitch. His three offloads were the most by an Ireland player.
What next: South Africa in Dublin
Ireland host world champions South Africa at the Aviva Stadium on Saturday 21 November, kick-off 4.40pm. They are level on 20 points with England in the northern table, a point behind France, and only the top side in each hemisphere reaches the Grand Final on Finals Weekend at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham, from 27 to 29 November.
Farrell is looking forward to it. “To be able to test yourselves, especially with the type of rugby that they’re playing at this moment in time, it’s a fantastic challenge for us,” he said, as reported by RTÉ.
Quick answers
What was the score in Ireland v Fiji? Ireland won 43–15 at the Aviva Stadium on 14 November 2026, after leading only 17–15 at half-time.
Who scored Ireland’s tries against Fiji? Rob Baloucoune and Tommy O’Brien scored two each, and Rónan Kelleher, Andrew Porter and Nick Timoney one each. Sam Prendergast kicked three conversions and Ciarán Frawley one.
Who was Ireland’s best player against Fiji? Ryan Baird, on 8.5 in our ratings. He made 57 metres, more than anyone on the pitch, and 17 tackles.
When do Ireland play South Africa? Saturday 21 November 2026 at the Aviva Stadium, kick-off 4.40pm.
Full match statistics
All figures below are from the official Nations Championship post-match report (PDF). Ireland beat Fiji 43–15 at the Aviva Stadium, Dublin, on Saturday 14 November 2026. The referee was Angus Gardner (Australia) and the attendance was 40,000.
Scoring timeline
| Min | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Try: Tommy O’Brien (IRE), con: Sam Prendergast | 7–0 |
| 18 | Try: Josua Tuisova (FIJ) | 7–5 |
| 22 | Try: Peceli Yato (FIJ), con: Ben Volavola | 7–12 |
| 29 | Try: Rob Baloucoune (IRE) | 12–12 |
| 38 | Try: Rob Baloucoune (IRE) | 17–12 |
| 41 | Yellow card: Tadhg Beirne (IRE) | 17–12 |
| 42 | Penalty: Ben Volavola (FIJ) | 17–15 |
| HT | Half-time | 17–15 |
| 45 | Try: Rónan Kelleher (IRE) | 22–15 |
| 53 | Yellow card: Inoke Ravuiwasa (FIJ) | 22–15 |
| 53 | Try: Andrew Porter (IRE), con: Prendergast | 29–15 |
| 59 | Try: Tommy O’Brien (IRE), con: Prendergast | 36–15 |
| 76 | Try: Nick Timoney (IRE), con: Ciarán Frawley | 43–15 |
Team stats
| Stat | Ireland | Fiji |
|---|---|---|
| Possession | 51.8% | 48.2% |
| Metres made | 504 | 307 |
| Carries | 167 | 118 |
| Passes | 174 | 105 |
| Kicks from hand | 26 | 22 |
| Line breaks | 11 | 5 |
| Offloads | 7 | 3 |
| Defenders beaten | 36 | 26 |
| Tackles made | 154 | 146 |
| Missed tackles | 26 | 36 |
| Turnovers won | 2 | 9 |
| Turnovers conceded | 20 | 17 |
| Penalties conceded | 10 | 10 |
| Scrum success | 100% | 100% |
| Lineout success | 100% | 81.3% |
| Yellow cards | 1 (Beirne, 41) | 1 (Ravuiwasa, 53) |
Ireland’s 504 metres came at 3.0 metres a carry, against Fiji’s 2.6.
Standout numbers
| Category | Ireland | Fiji |
|---|---|---|
| Most tackles | van der Flier 18, Baird 17, Kelleher 15 | Nasilasila 14, Vocevoce 14, Tuisova 12 |
| Most metres | Baird 57, Hansen 55, O’Brien 50 | Ikanivere 49, Wainiqolo 37, Tuisova 34 |
| Most carries | McCloskey 19, Hansen 17, Prendergast 15 | Ikanivere 15, J Tamani 11, Salawa 11 |
| Defenders beaten (top five) | Hansen 6, McNabney 4, Prendergast, Kelleher and van der Flier 3 | Wainiqolo 11, Tuisova 4, Ikanivere, Loganimasi and Ravai 2 |
| Line breaks | O’Brien 2, Baloucoune 2, Kelleher 1, Baird 1, Timoney 1, Gibson-Park 1, Prendergast 1, Hansen 1, McNabney 1 | Wainiqolo 2, Yato 1, Salawa 1, Balewairiki 1 |
| Offloads | McCloskey 3, Beirne 1, Prendergast 1, Baloucoune 1, Casey 1 | Wainiqolo 2, Ravutaumada 1 |
| Turnovers won | Porter 1, O’Brien 1 | J Tamani 1, Vocevoce 1, Tagitagivalu 1, Lomani 1, Volavola 1, Tuisova 1, Bituniyata 1, Loganimasi 1, Salawa 1 |
| Lineouts won | Beirne 6, Baird 3, Ryan 1, Timoney 1 | J Tamani 3, Vocevoce 3, Nasilasila 2, Ravai 1, Lomani 1, Tuisova 1, Ravuiwasa 1 |
| Penalties conceded | Furlong 1, Ryan 1, Beirne 1, Baird 1, van der Flier 1, O’Brien 1, Aki 1, O’Toole 1, Illo 1, Frawley 1 | Ikanivere 3, Tagi 2, Ravai 1, Vocevoce 1, Tuisova 1, Nairau 1, Ravuiwasa 1 |
| Kicks from hand (top three) | Prendergast 7, Gibson-Park 6, Frawley 5 | Lomani 11, Volavola 4, Wainiqolo 3 |
Ireland player stats
| No | Player | Min | Pts | Carries | Metres | Passes | Offloads | Line breaks | Tackles | Turnovers won | Lineouts won | Pens conceded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Mack Hansen | 80 | 0 | 17 | 55 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Rob Baloucoune | 80 | 10 | 11 | 34 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Jamie Osborne | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Bundee Aki | 80 | 0 | 10 | 30 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 11 | Tommy O’Brien | 80 | 10 | 14 | 50 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 10 | Sam Prendergast | 61 | 6 | 15 | 41 | 30 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Jamison Gibson-Park | 56 | 0 | 5 | 40 | 58 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | Andrew Porter | 61 | 5 | 8 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Rónan Kelleher | 61 | 5 | 7 | 22 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 15 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Tadhg Furlong | 57 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 4 | James Ryan | 56 | 0 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 5 | Tadhg Beirne | 71 | 0 | 12 | 19 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 1 |
| 6 | Ryan Baird | 80 | 0 | 12 | 57 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 17 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| 7 | Josh van der Flier | 80 | 0 | 6 | 25 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 8 | Nick Timoney | 77 | 5 | 10 | 35 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 16 | Tom Stewart | 19 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Tom O’Toole | 19 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Sam Illo | 23 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 19 | Darragh Murray | 24 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | James McNabney | 3 | 0 | 2 | 30 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Craig Casey | 24 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Ciarán Frawley | 19 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 23 | Stuart McCloskey | 76 | 0 | 19 | 38 | 12 | 3 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Fiji player stats
| No | Player | Min | Pts | Carries | Metres | Passes | Offloads | Line breaks | Tackles | Turnovers won | Lineouts won | Pens conceded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | Ponipate Loganimasi | 80 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Selestino Ravutaumada | 80 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | Setareki Bituniyata | 52 | 0 | 5 | 25 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | Josua Tuisova | 80 | 5 | 10 | 34 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| 11 | Jiuta Wainiqolo | 80 | 0 | 7 | 37 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | Ben Volavola | 73 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | Frank Lomani | 73 | 0 | 3 | 24 | 59 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1 | Peni Ravai | 52 | 0 | 4 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | Tevita Ikanivere | 73 | 0 | 15 | 49 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| 3 | Luke Tagi | 60 | 0 | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Joseva Tamani | 80 | 0 | 11 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
| 5 | Isoa Nasilasila | 80 | 0 | 9 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | Mesake Vocevoce | 80 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14 | 1 | 3 | 1 |
| 7 | Lekima Tagitagivalu | 52 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Peceli Yato | 25 | 5 | 3 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Zuriel Togiatama | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Vilikesa Nairau | 28 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Inoke Ravuiwasa | 18 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| 19 | Kitione Salawa | 55 | 0 | 11 | 17 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Elia Canakaivata | 20 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Terio Tamani | 7 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Caleb Muntz | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Iosefo Balewairiki | 28 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
The teams
Ireland: Mack Hansen; Rob Baloucoune, Jamie Osborne, Bundee Aki, Tommy O’Brien; Sam Prendergast, Jamison Gibson-Park; Andrew Porter, Rónan Kelleher, Tadhg Furlong, James Ryan, Tadhg Beirne (captain), Ryan Baird, Josh van der Flier, Nick Timoney. Replacements: Tom Stewart, Tom O’Toole, Sam Illo, Darragh Murray, James McNabney, Craig Casey, Ciarán Frawley, Stuart McCloskey.
Fiji: Ponipate Loganimasi; Selestino Ravutaumada, Setareki Bituniyata, Josua Tuisova, Jiuta Wainiqolo; Ben Volavola, Frank Lomani; Peni Ravai, Tevita Ikanivere, Luke Tagi, Joseva Tamani, Isoa Nasilasila, Mesake Vocevoce, Lekima Tagitagivalu, Peceli Yato (captain). Replacements: Zuriel Togiatama, Vilikesa Nairau, Inoke Ravuiwasa, Kitione Salawa, Elia Canakaivata, Terio Tamani, Caleb Muntz, Iosefo Balewairiki.
Sources: official Nations Championship post-match report (PDF) and Nations Championship match centre; IRFU team announcement; RTÉ report, Farrell reaction and Beirne reaction; Irish Times report and Jake White reaction; BBC Sport report and White reaction; The42. All 14–15 November 2026.
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