After the opening round of results and Australia´s emphatic win over Scotland last night, Italy came into the game knowing that a win over Fiji would guarantee them a place in the knockout stages, regardless of how many Australia put past them next week.

But with Italy getting an eighteen point start on the handicap coupon, the smart money was on Fiji getting a decent win and then only needing to beat the battered Scots next weekend to ensure that it was they who progress in the competition.

This was the second ever meeting between the two sides, Fiji winning the only previous encounter by 38-10 during the group stages of the 2017 World Cup. Conditions were set for a competitive match on the 4G pitch at Kingston Park in Newcastle.

It was a lightening fast opening from Fiji as they set their stall out early.

Great Italian defence thwarted a couple of promising Fiji attacks, but on eight minutes Viliame Kikau found a chink in the Italian defence and under the tackle he stretched for the line for the opening try of the game. Brandon Wakeham added the conversion for a 6-0 lead.

Within three minutes Kevin Naiqama picked up a poor pass from Italy and went forty metres to score under the sticks. Wakeham added the simple goal for a 12-0 lead.

A scoot from dummy half from Penioni Tagituimua saw the hooker go in under the sticks on sixteen minutes for the third try as it started to look painful for Italy. Wakeham was again on target with the boot for 18-0.

Kikau was in again on twenty-two, ripping through the Italian defence from six metres out to dive over the line. Wakeham was on target again and Fiji were registering a point a minute as they led 24-0, it was a thoroughly professional performance.

A late, and unnecessary, tackle from Tamiela Sadrugu on Nathan Brown gave Italy their furst real opportunity but a poor kick gifted possession back to Fiji.

Four minutes before the interval Apisai Koroisau took the pass fifteen out and step past two defenders to score the fifth try of the half for Fiji, Wakeham again on target for a 30-0 lead, Fiji way too strong for Italy.

The second half was now all about limiting the damage for Italy, while Fiji were looking to increase the pain.

It took five minutes for Fiji to add to their total Tagituimua´s second as he took an offload and jinked through the Italy defence to score under the sticks. Wakeham made it six from six to maintain his one hundred-percent record.

A kick to centre field bamboozled the Italy defence but was plucked from the air by Ben Nakubuwai to step past the last tackler and again score under the sticks. Wakeham added a seventh goal.

On fifty-two it was too easy for Fiji with Maika Sivo taking the pass twenty out and stepping inside the defender to dart in. Koroisau took the conversion and guided the ball over for 48-0.

The biggest cheer of the day was for Jake Maizen on fifty-five as he found space on the overlap and launched himself for the corner and got the ball down one-handed for the first Italian points. Jack Campagnolo couldn´t add the extras from the touchline but Italy had avoided the ignominy of not scoring a point.

A second Sivo try, this one from a Kikau flick pass, saw the winger improve the angle despite going over in the corner by dotting down under the sticks.  Koroisau add his second goal, the ninth for Fiji, for 54-4.

A great break by Naiqama put Fiji deep into Italy territory and a couple of passes later Taniela Sadrugu took the pass and headed for the sticks to score. Koroisau added the conversion for a final score of 60-4

Both sides came into the game knowing that a win would probably be enough to put them into the knockout stage, but the form book told us that Italy would need to play out of their skins while Fiji simply needed a steady performance. But Fiji were better than that, and never let Italy into the game in the way that Scotland had last week. It would now need something extraordinary to happen next week to prevent an Australia/Fiji progression and with Fiji finding their feet, few sides would relish playing them in the quarter finals.

Fiji: Turuva, Karawalevu, Naiqama (T), Valemei, Sivo (T), Koroisau (T, 3G), Wakeham (7G), Vuniyayawa, Tagituimua (2T), Kamikamica, Kikau (2T), Wong, Sims. Subs: Manuel-Liolevave, Raiwalui, Nakubuwai (T), Sadrugu (T).

Italy: Polselli, Lepori, Natoli, Atkinson, Maizen (T), Campagnolo, Robinson, Susino, Parata, Iaria, King, Santi, Brown. Subs: Tramontana, Moretti, Colovatti, Hodge.

Half-Time: 30-0.

Full-Time: 60-4.

Score Progression: 4-0, 6-0, 10-0, 12-0, 16-0, 18-0, 24-0, 28-0, 30-0 : HT : 34-0, 36-0, 40-0, 42-0, 46-0, 48-0, 48-4, 52-4, 54-4, 58-4, 60-4 : FT .

Lead Exchanges: Fiji.

Referee: Jack Smith.

Attendance: 3,675 at Kingston Park, Newcastle.