Rugby League World Cup as it happened: Australia vs Fiji live scores, updates, blog

Australia will commence their Rugby League World Cup campaign against Fiji in Leeds on the opening day of the tournament.

Zero Tackle will have live coverage of the clash from 5:30am (AEDT) on Sunday, October 16.

Refresh the page for live score updates and commentary below.

Scoreboard

Match summary

Australia 42 (Try: Jeremiah Nanai, Josh Addo-Carr [2], Angus Crichton, Latrell Mitchell, Harry Grant, James Tedesco,; Conversion: Valentine Holmes 7/7) lead Fiji 8 (Tries: Semi Valemei, Sunia Turuva; Conversion: Brandon Wakeham 0/2)

Updates

7:19am (AEDT)
The Kangaroos open their World Cup with a seven try performance then against Fiji after that slow start, with Australia now all but certain to finish top of Group A as they get ready to take on minnows Scotland and Italy in the next fortnight.

Thanks for joining us here on Zero Tackle today for the start of the Rugby League World Cup.

We will be back with live coverage of tomorrow's third game between New Zealand and Lebanon, while our match centres will have live scores from the earlier games as Scotland play Italy, and Jamaica take on Ireland.

Bye for now.

7:16am (AEDT)
That's that in Headingley. Cameron Munster announced as man of the match there with Australia just winding down the clock.

A strong performance in the end after a slow start, but not a great deal to worry about there for Mal Meninga.

7:12am (AEDT)
And Fiji will pull back a late consolation try! On the attack, it's a lovely little grubber into the in goal from Brandon Wakeham, with Sunia Turiva then toeing it through virtually out of the grasp of James Tedesco, with the young Penrith fullback scoring.

Wakeham misses the conversion.

7:10am (AEDT)
Fiji coming back onto the attack and that's ugly. Jeremiah Nanai tips Brandon Wakeham above the horizontal there to give away a penalty. He will face a nervous wait now for the judiciary.

7:05am (AEDT)
Reuben Cotter has failed his HIA, so that will rule him out of next week's clash against Scotland as well. No news on Tui Kamikamica yet.

7:03am (AEDT)
Excellent from the Kangaroos. Absolutely superb there from Harry Grant. He darts through the defensive line of Fiji, then finds Josh Addo-Carr in support through the middle. Instead of passing, he grubbers away into the in goal and Addo-Carr wins the race to the ball ahead of Kikau to score.

Holmes will convert again, and Australia are approaching 50.

7:01am (AEDT)
Well, that is a spot of very good news for Fiji then. Viliame Kikau is back onto the park after his HIA.

6:57am (AEDT)
We go from a Fijian attack to an Australian one as they look to run on more points, and it's James Tedesco! The skipper shows it out to the right-hand side, puts on the footwork and steps back to the inside to add more points to the board. There was absolutely nothing on there.

Holmes converts again to go six for six.

6:52am (AEDT)
So then, Fiji on the attack after Cotter's knock on in the head clash. They can't crack Australia during the first five plays, and the last sees a short side raid with Murray Taulagi almost picking off a pass with an intercept, but he puts it down, so Fiji will have another chance.

Captain's challenge on that though. Australia believe Fiji have knocked it on, but that's very evidently back off Fiji.

6:50am (AEDT)
Big concern here for both Reuben Cotter and Tui Kamikamica after a huge head clash bringing it back from the kick-off.

Cotter likely to be a Grade 1 here. He will come off for a HIA, but doubtful he will be allowed back even if he passes, and that will rule him out of next week's game with Scotland as well.

Kamikamica also heading off. He joins Viliame Kikau off the field, so things going pear-shaped very quickly now for Fiji. If they both were to fail, then Fiji would be two stars down against Italy next week.

6:46am (AEDT)
Superb from Harry Grant! A 40/20 out of dummy half and that will bring the Kangaroos right back onto the attack.

And it's going to be Grant who ultimately scores! Fiji hold on for a few plays, but then Grant goes from dummy half and runs rings around the defence to score.

Holmes converts again.

6:44am (AEDT)
Fiji with a chance to attack here, but Brandon Wakeham's bomb ultimately comes to nothing with the Bati knocking on.

6:39am (AEDT)
Fiji are going to get the ball back from a short drop out here, but there is an issue for Viliame Kikau who is in the hands of the trainer and grabbing at the side of his head.

He is heading off for a HIA. A reminder if he fails, he automatically misses the next 11 days, which would rule him out of next week's game against Italy.

6:35am (AEDT)
Australia are in! Latrell Mitchell has his first try for the Kangaroos. A great defensive set pins Fiji in their own end, then Cameron Munster finds some space, links with Josh Addo-Carr, backs up on the inside and then takes the ball back before sending Mitchell away to score.

Great long-range try.

Valentine Holmes converts.

6:32am (AEDT)
A bad start then for the Kangaroos as Crichton comes up with an error during the first set of the half. Fiji on the attack as they come inside 20 through Turuva on the third play. Wakeham with a grubber on the last, but Harry Grant comes up with it.

6:30am (AEDT)
Teams are back, and so is Murray Taulagi, so he has passed his HIA. Fiji to kick-off.

6:16am (AEDT)
Well, that is the end of the first half then. Australia will take the lead pretty handsomely by 14 points, but it's difficult to suggest they have been anywhere near their best. The Kangaroos have often looked clunky, and Fiji scored first, but a number of errors from the Bati have cost them heavily.

Stick around, and we will be back with the second half on Zero Tackle shortly.

6:15am (AEDT)
Australia with the final set of the first half then as they come right onto the attack, but there is a knock on in the play the ball from Angus Crichton before Latrell Mitchell would have scored. Sloppy from the Kangaroos.

6:14am (AEDT)
Australia with a set that comes to nothing, but of more concern is Cameron Munster limping around in the defensive line here.

He is still on the park with halftime just 60 seconds away, so hopefully nothing more than a burner.

Meanwhile, Fiji turn it over coming out of trouble again.

6:12am (AEDT)
Try time! Harry Grant onto the park and the Kangaroos make Fiji pay for the error. Cameron Munster involved in the lead up to this play with a short ball to Angus Crichton who reaches out through a tackle of Brandon Wakeham and slams the ball down.

Valentine Holmes converts.

6:10am (AEDT)
Fiji giving Australia everything they can handle and then some, but now another error from the Bati coming out of their own end.

6:08am (AEDT)
Fiji go left as Sivo almost finds space, then they come right and Wong is tackled. Offloads through the middle and Fiji looking threatening here on the attack. Koroisau to Penrith teammate Kikau who is within a few metres, before a grubber goes through from Koroisau out of dummy half, and Wakeham is there, but can't hold onto it!

6:06am (AEDT)
Fiji back onto the attack, and Wakeham will kick on the last, but the chase can't get there to put pressure on Addo-Carr, although Kevin Naiqama is there to make sure Addo-Carr has to play the ball no more than five metres from his own tryline.

Carrigan then knocks it on coming out of his own end under plenty of pressure from Tui Kamikamica, who has been absolutely immense for the Bati here.

6:05am (AEDT)
Fiji go onto the attack and the kick down to the corner there, however, Holmes manages to take it under plenty of pressure with a questionable bit of involvement from the covering Kangaroos' blockers.

Australia battling out of their own end here as Fiji come up with a big defensive set, and Cherry-Evans has to kick from inside 40 as Turuva brings it back strongly.

6:03am (AEDT)
Carrigan and Cotter on for Australia, but more concerningly, Murray Taulagi off for a HIA. If he fails, he will be ruled out for the next 11 days. Jack Wighton has come on to replace him, likely shifting Valentine Holmes out to the wing.

Australia with a strong set after points and a kick out over the sideline.

6:00am (AEDT)
Fiji desperately needed that as they come out of trouble, getting a six again from referee Chris Kendall. That allows them back over halfway on Play 2, before Koroisau goes exploring off a quick play the ball. Inside 20 with two plays to spare and then Viliame Kikau makes half a break, but is tackled, leaving one of the Aussies - Murray Taulagi it is - in backplay. Wakeham's kick on the last - a grubber - ends with Tedesco who is tackled a metre out.

Australia spread out of their own end though and Josh Addo-Carr runs 95 metres to score! That has come from absolutely nothing with Fiji clocking off on the edge.

Valentine Holmes converts.

5:56am (AEDT)
Fiji just can't hang onto the ball at the moment, dropping it coming out of trouble once more as Australia roll back onto the attack once again. The Bati manage to get this set to the last tackle again though with some incredible scrambling defence, before they look for Nanai again, but he is held up over the line... Or is he? We are going to the video referee.

He looked to be held up, and referee Chris Kendall agrees, sending it to Grant Atkins in the video box with an on-field call of no try. It was grounded short originally, and never made the line, so no try and Fiji hang on again.

5:54am (AEDT)
Fiji, for all their faults here, are defending like their life depends on it, and a bit of pressure forces an error from the Kangaroos on the attack here.

5:53am (AEDT)
Fiji need to tidy up their discipline in a hurry here as they give away a penalty coming out of their own end, then give away another ten metres for backchat.

Fa'asuamaleaui continues his strong start with a big run, then it's Cam Murray with a strong run and quick play the ball as the Kangaroos start to get on a roll. Hunt will kick on the last this time and it's knocked on by Fiji in the challenge.

5:51am (AEDT)
Fiji make another error, and while they haven't paid yet, they can't afford to keep inviting Australia back into the game here.

Australia again looking clunky though before Jake Trbokjevic straightens the attack. Two plays left inside 20 and this time it's Jeremiah Nanai! He chops his way straight through the line with a wonderful bit of footwork and one of the NRL's top try-scorers has the first of the tournament for the Kangaroos.

Valentine Holmes converts.

5:48am (AEDT)
The captain's challenge comes to nothing with Kikau making the error, and Australia will come onto the attack off the scrum here.

They use the left-hand side for the first time, but the defence contain Latrell Mitchell fairly well. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui has had a huge start and makes another run here, but then another shift left sees Mitchell throw an offload forward.

Australia are very, very clunky.

5:46am (AEDT)
Australia with another set on the Fijian line again, then Cherry-Evans, who is in a battle for the number seven jersey, tries to do too much. He makes a break, spins, and then throws the ball straight to Maika Sivo.

Fiji invite Australia straight back onto the attack though as Viliame Kikau makes an error in the play the ball.

Captain's challenge called for though.

5:44am (AEDT)
Australia first chance to attack then. They shift right on the third play, but a pass from Cherry-Evans sees Taulagi have to stop on his run and he is folded by the defence. Still half the set to go, then a six again on a run from Fa'asuamaleaui. The weight of possession starting to tell, but Australia look incredibly clunky in attack as Fiji then manage to hold up Taulagi who looked for all money like he was going to score. Incredible work from Maika Sivo and Semi Valemei out wide.

It will, however, be a penalty for a high shot.

5:40am (AEDT)
Australia muscling right up now. A smart kick from Cameron Munster and then a big defensive set will see Fiji kick from out of their own 40, with Australia bringing it back to halfway before they receive a penalty to bring it out of their own end.

5:36am (AEDT)
Fiji now pushing onto the attack and they will score first! Wow! Incredible. An early kick inside the 20 from Sitveni Moceidreke off some excellent work from Apisai Koroisau out of dummy half puts Semi Valemei over in the corner after he outran the Kangaroos covering defence. The Bati take the early lead.

Brandon Wakeham fails to convert.

5:34am (AEDT)
Fiji muscling right up in defence here - a great set without the ball from Fiji forces Daly Cherry-Evans to kick from 40 metres out, before Australia give away a penalty that will piggyback Fiji out of trouble.

5:32am (AEDT)
Away we go!

Chris Kendall blows the whistle and James Tedesco kicks us off! Fielded by Sunia Turuva and with the kick-off being shallower, he brings it back on his own. The Fijian forwards will now truck it out of their own end, but they are being belted down by some strong defence here. A good run from young gun Josh Wong gets them going and Wakeham will kick from just short of halfway before Josh Addo-Carr brings it back.

5:29am (AEDT)
Incredible stuff that.

We are just moments from kick-off.

5:25am (AEDT)
Kick-off approaching then. The national anthems are done, and now it's time for the Fijian hymn.

5:22am (AEDT)
The teams are making their way onto the field. Seems to be a solid crowd in.

5:15am (AEDT)
In typical English fashion, it's currently raining in Leeds as Australia and Fiji go about their warm ups.

5:00am (AEDT)
The teams are in!

Australia
1. James Tedesco 9. Josh Addo-Carr 8. Latrell Mitchell 4. Valentine Holmes 23. Murray Taulagi 7. Cameron Munster 2. Daly Cherry-Evans 18. Tino Fa'asuamaleaui 3. Ben Hunt 5. Jake Trbojevic 17. Angus Crichton 22. Jeremiah Nanai 11. Cameron Murray
Interchange: 20. Harry Grant 16. Reuben Cotter 13. Patrick Carrigan 10. Jack Wighton
18th man: 12. Matt Burton

Fiji
1. Sunia Turuva 5. Mitieli Vulikijapani 4. Kevin Naiqama 19. Semi Valemei 2. Maika Sivo 6. Sitiveni Moceidreke 7. Brandon Wakeham 17. King Vuniyayawa 9. Apisai Koroisau 13. Tui Kamikamica 12. Viliame Kikau 22. Siua Wong 16. Lamar Manuel-Liolevave
Interchange:14. Penioni Tagituimua 23. Jowasa Drodrolagi 10. Ben Nakubuwai 11. Taniela Sadrugu
18th man: 18. Netane Masima

4:45am (AEDT)
Hello, Good Morning and Welcome to Zero Tackle for our live coverage of the 2022 Rugby League World Cup as the Australian side get their tournament underway against Fiji.

Australia will come into the game as heavy favourites, and will be keen to make a statement of their own after England hammered Samoa earlier this morning in the tournament opener.

Fiji, with a number of NRL players, will be looking to make a serious fist of the game themselves though in Leeds, with the Pacific Island nation still favoured to qualify for the quarter-finals from Group B regardless of the final result.

Final teams to come shortly.