The SportsWorld Fiji Under-20 side produced a spirited performance but ultimately fell just short, going down 24-19 to Ireland in their World Rugby U20 Championship 9th-place semifinal clash.

Despite the defeat, the baby Flying Fijians showcased courage, resilience, and attacking flair throughout the contest, pushing a strong Irish side all the way to the final whistle.

Ireland opened the scoring through Daniel Ryan, with the conversion successfully added to give the Irish an early seven-point advantage.

Fiji responded quickly through powerful forward Isikeli Bari, whose try was converted by Tevita Ledua to level the scores and signal the start of an entertaining contest.

Ireland regained the lead when Diarmaid O’Connell crossed the line, with Daniel Green adding the extras. However, Fiji refused to back down and struck back through Sailosi Taka to stay firmly in the match.

Ireland’s challenge became tougher when lock Joe Finn was shown a yellow card, allowing Fiji to capitalize on periods of pressure.

After an intense opening 40 minutes, Ireland held a slender 14-12 lead at halftime, with Fiji remaining well within reach thanks to their determined defensive effort and attacking enterprise.

The Irish extended their lead early in the second half through James O’Leary before Fiji’s discipline was tested when Ratu Epeli Roseruvakula was sin-binned for foul play. The situation became even more difficult when centre Faimalaga Tuvalu was also shown a yellow card.

Ireland thought they had secured a crucial fourth try through Charlie Keane, but the effort was ruled out after officials detected an obstruction by Sean David Walsh in the build-up.

Fiji continued to fight and were rewarded when Apete Gauna Rokosuka crossed for a vital try. Netani Lesimaikimatukure calmly added the conversion to bring the Baby Flying Fijians back into contention.

However, Ireland managed to add a penalty late in the match, extending their lead and proving enough to secure the hard-fought 24-19 victory.

While the result did not go Fiji’s way, there were plenty of positives to take from the performance. The young Fijians matched Ireland for long periods, showed their attacking potential, and demonstrated the fighting spirit that has become a hallmark of Fijian rugby.

The performance provides encouraging signs as the SportsWorld Fiji U20 side continues its development on the international stage and builds toward future challenges.