Kuruvoli grabs double in Baabaas loss

Flying Fijian scrum-half Simione Kuruvoli scored a brace of tries in the Barbarians 49-26 defeat to Wales in an Autumn International try fest under the roof of the Principality Stadium in Cardiff today.

Early patience was rewarded for Wales when Dewi Lake powered over in the third minute and Leigh Halfpenny converted through the posts for a 7-0 lead.

Wales’ joy was cut short when they were reduced to 14 players as Adam Beard received an unexpected yellow card in the 11^th minute.

Almost immediately Wales were made to pay when Fijian Drua halfback Kuruvoli darted over with a try for the Barbarians.

However, Nicholas Sanchez failed to convert leaving the Babas with just five points.

Wales winger Tom Rogers was the recipient of a backwards flick pass between his legs by George North to stroll over wide in the 30^th minute. Halfpenny added the extras to put Wales 14-5 ahead.

Welsh discipline was a bit ragged at times, but they kept plugging away and they were celebrating a third try when halfbacks Tomos Williams and Sam Costelow combined superbly for the Cardiff scrum half to chip over the BaaBaas defence and the Scarlets fly half caught it on the fly to dive over.

Halfpenny booted the conversion to give Wales a handy 21-5 lead at the break.

Angus Bell dazzled with some pace and guile with a deft chip for Tipuric to force Williams into a mistake and Kuruvoli was on hand to touch down for his second try of the match.

The Baa-Baas were back in the hunt when Alun Wyn Jones scored his touchdown and Nicholas Sanchez converted both with 30 minutes remaining, it was a two-point ball game after.

Taine Plumtree darted through a gap to score Wales’s fourth converted try to put the home side 28-19 ahead.

The Barbarians suffered a blow when Asafo Aumua got a yellow card for a late tackle on Aaron Wainwright and while he was riding pine, Wainwright ploughed over to add salt to the wounds and Halfpenny knocked the conversion making it 35-19.

The Barbarians hit back when Tom Hooper grabbed a poor dropout from his own goal-line by Williams as the breathless affair continued at pace.

Kieran Hardy pounced for two late converted tries to put the icing on the cake in an 11-try extravaganza which proved a fitting finale.